The Veela Allurement
by Illucia
Summary: DMHP During the summer before their last year in school starts, Draco Malfoy s Veela heritage is awoken. He s searching his mate and that leads him to the most unsuspected target. A hard and difficult one too.
1. The summer

**Disclaimer:** None of it is mine. I only borrow them for a while and I´m not earning a cent.

**Summary:** During the summer before the last year in school starts, Draco Malfoy's Veela heritage is awoken. He's searching his mate and that leads him to the most unsuspected target. A hard and difficult one too. !This is DM/HP so there is SLASH coming up. Meaning male/male pairings.

This has been edited 01/2005

* * *

**+ The Veela Allurement +**

**Ch1. The Summer**

Draco Malfoy was sitting in the front of a huge window, gazing out at the setting sun. This summer had been wearisome and now he finally was home. His summer didn't sound so bad from an outsider's point of view. He had travelled with his family around the Europe and seen the most amazing things but still they were all, that is to say him, his father and his mother, disappointed. They had been looking for something very special but had not found it.

Draco sighed deeply and felt the familiar delicate pull in his chest. It had been there for a while now, having started a few weeks after the holiday had begun. First he hadn't known what to make of it. Then when he had heard the explanation, he had been a very happy Draco, for a while at least. But as the weeks went by, desperation started to sink in.

The explanation was as simple as it was complicated. Draco wasn't completely human. There was quite a bit of Veela blood running in his veins from both his parents' sides. Veela was a very old magical race and there were studies that claimed that they were actually descendants of the elves. Not house-elves, of course, but real elves that were more like wizards in appearance and that was where the similarities ended. The Elves were described to have had pointy ears and different way of moving and living all together and they had been in touch with the magic of nature itself.

As Veelas were their scions, they had some elven traits. Veelas were beautiful, very so and they had, among other things, this alluring power that made them quite irresistible. And sometimes they mated with humans, mostly with wizards and witches. There were stories about Veelas mixing with muggles too but the magical world wasn't very interested about those and in any case, such combination was rare. After all, Muggles and Veelas were far apart, when as magical folk and Veelas were similar enough.

As both Draco's parents were partly Veelas, it of course made Draco partly one too. Which then was the beginning of his current problems. His veela heritage had awoken this summer. Before it, he had been a totally normal wizard. He still was but now there was also something... more. Something that was growing every day.

Being partly a Veela was, at large, a really good thing. Draco's magical powers had increased considerably and he also had some of the alluring power and Veelas developed ability of scent. He had looked, at least according to himself, divine before and now he was simply unearthly. So there was a lot of good stuff in his change.

But a Veela's main thing in life was their mate. Finding the mate and being with the mate. This person was someone who was their other half, someone they wouldn't be whole without. Someone who was a perfect match to them in heart and soul, in any way possible and that was something still missing with Draco. That was something still keeping him back.

The pull was a sign that his perfect mate was somewhere out there and his whole being was aching after that person. Not all were so lucky, like his parents for instance. Both of them had had their match killed, probably in the last dark war and they had simply found each others acceptable. A Veela knew there wouldn't be a perfect mate for them if they didn't feel the pull before becoming of age. Even in the case that their mate wasn't simply born yet, there would be something.

Mated Veelas usually died with their mates, if because of nothing else, then due grief. But as Draco's parents hadn't even had the opportunity to find their specials, meaning the mates were dead before the Veelas were old enough, they were still alive. But as his mother had once quietly explained to him, she and his father both knew inside they weren't whole and how sad way of living it was, lingering behind.

There had been days when Draco toyed with the idea that he didn't have a perfect mate either but then the pull reminded of itself. It was imperative for a Veela to mate as soon as possible. Especially when you were a half-veela, because the mate grounded their powers which went easily haywire before the mate was found.

It was somewhat difficult to explain the relationship between a half-veela and their mate. Full Veelas weren't human and mostly lived in the passions of life with their life-mates in some ancient woods. But half-veelas had other responsibilities as well and they had human personality which developed during their adolescent years. Still, their life focus ultimately was with their mates. They would do anything for them and would love them, no matter what, until the end of time. And why not when the mates gave a lot more to them than even the Veela blood itself did. On top of that they also were the most perfect beings for them in every imaginable way. There was no one better.

And this was irking Draco badly. Not the fact that he didn´t know who his mate was, not even that he didn´t know what species his mate was, but the simple fact that he was not with his perfect mate at the moment. It was hard to accept that someone so special was out there somewhere, without him. And it wasn´t like he hadn´t been searching.

His powers were unreliable and wild. He had been unable to do any magic during the whole summer, for Merlins sake! – Well, almost for the whole summer. And as he was always subconciously searching, his alluring power went, for lacking the better word for it, wild as well.

Then there was the fact that Draco was a Malfoy. That name carried many meanings but it did not mean loosing control… Over nothing else except his mate. It wasn't counted as loosing control anyway because it was a totally different thing. The frustrating fact that he had been looking for the whole summer and failed, irked him too. Malfoys did not fail. And on top of everything else, Draco suspected that he was getting on his parents nerves gradually. They loved him in their way but as he wasn´t the result of the ´perfect match´, he wasn´t perfectly loved either. His parents lived a half-life, something he didn´t want and the pull only pointed all these faults out even more. He didn't deal very well with having faults.

They had searched among the largest Veela communities and the biggest wizarding habitats but found nothing. Actually, he had searched and dragged his parents with him. Not that they didn´t want to help him but they didn´t have the need inside them that had finally driven him quite desperate. The pull didn´t point him to his mate, only announced that the mate was there. When he would get close enough, he would smell and feel his mates scent.

His father had even used his connections in the Ministry of Magic to get a list of other half-veelas, as it was more probable to find his mate among them. But nooo, and now it was pretty certain to say that his mate didn't have any connections with Veelas at all.

Today they were home at last, at the Malfoy manor. His last school year was starting and his father had neglected family business far too long and other, more perilous business as well.

o0o

A week later, seventeen year old Harry Potter pushed his trunk and Hedwig's empty owl cage along the platform nine and three-quarters. He was early, but didn´t mind that because he needed some time to make himself presentable.

After putting his trunk in the luggage van, he suspected there would be enough stuff in the compartment from his always late friends, Harry left the owl cage in the first empty compartment he found from the end and rushed to the toilets. The mirror there wasn´t that nice to him. Not that it talked back but he himself didn´t look that good.

His aunt Petunia hadn´t allowed him to expensive waste water for a shower for the last four days. She had said that as he was going back to school he could wait and use the showers there. So, Harry looked a bit dirty after all his chores. His glasses were broken, compliment by one of his cousins 'accidents'. He was also wearing his cousins hand-me down clothes and had bandages on his other arm.

Harry washed his upper body and threw his overlarge and very worn pants, socks and t-shirt to the garbage. Luckily, he had some clothes of his own. Not many but Hermione had given him a new darkgreen shirt as an early birthday gift when the summer holiday had begun and he himself had bought the black trousers from Hogsmead at the same time. And finally he had some use for those socks Dobby, the house-elf, always liked to give him. Very odd looking socks, as the house-elfs taste was quite peculiar but a blue one with little twinkling yellow stars and a nice honey coloured one with roses managed to lift his spirits. His glasses were easy to repair. At least he now remembered how and Hermione didn´t have to bother.

Next time he looked in the mirror, he was pleased. The shirt covered his arms and bandages and little soap and clean clothes had made miracles. He didn´t have to worry about his hair. He still hadn´t managed to make it go in any other direction but where it wanted. He had few tiny cuts on his face but he was tanned enough for them to fade almost out.

When he got back to the compartement, the station clock showed only 10:15. He had been earlier than he had thought. Not by his choice though. His uncle had awoken him at five that morning, gleaming happily.

o0o

"Boy! Wake up!" Uncle Vernon yelled from the door as he slammed it open. "It´s finally time to go."

"Yes, Uncle Vernon," Harry said groggily and saw the clock said only 4:55 a.m. But his happy thought was the same as his uncle's. Finally, he was allowed away from there for good.

When he got to the kitchen, his uncle was eating a huge sandwich and drinking coffee. Apparently the morning paper hadn´t come yet and Harry didn´t like the way his uncle was eyeing him. Last time he had seen that look was when his arm was thoroughly slashed. Not a nice memory and he didn´t want to repeat the incident.

"The door is open. Take your things to the car and wait there." His uncle leaned forward and his gaze got more sharpen as he added, "and make sure, boy, that you leave nothing, and I mean NOTHING behind."

Harry had to bite back his reply and he would have enjoyed having some breakfast himself but he was, once again, being punished and that ment no food. This had been one of the longest summers ever.

True to his uncle's words, Harry found the cupboard door open and got his trunk out. It had been stashed in there as soon as he had finished his summer homework. He fetched his owl's, Hedwig, tattered cage from upstairs as well as his get-away-bag. This was the second summer he had had this bag. It was an insurace. An insurance that if things went wrong he would still have the things that mattered the most.

During previous summers he had hidden his most valuable things under the loose floorboards near his bed. But since last summer, he was aware that as useful as it was to keep these things safe, it was even better to keep all the necessary things ready so he could leave quickly if needed. He had, in his bag, his photo album, often his wand, his father's invisibility cloak, few galleons, ten pounds, paper and pen, an extra pair of clothing, a small bottle of water and one of Mrs. Weasleys pies that preserved long. And the bag was still small enough to be kept in that safe place of his.

He had to wait almost half an hour before his uncle finally came outside, snorting at him while walking around the car. Harry didn´t care anymore. His relatives had shown their worst to him and he had survived. Such warm hearted people.

It had been tiresome to stay in that house after his fifth year. Actually, it had already been awful before but after that it was like some battle of the wills, living there.

"Heave that trunk of yours in the car and get in the back yourself. I will give you a ride to London, only to show you our generosity again," his uncle ordered and then muttered just loud enough that he was sure to hear, "which a thing like you of course can´t appreciate. But at least this way you're out of our hair as soon as possible."

Of course Uncle Vernon hadn´t open the boot so Harry had to travel squashed with his trunk in the back seat all the way. When they arrived at the first streets of London suburbs, his uncle stopped the car.

"Get out boy! This is it!" His uncle shouted while getting out.

"What? Are you going to leave me here! The station is still miles away," Harry couldn't help but sputter.

"You heard me. This is the last of it you freak. Little exercise will only do you good," his uncle seemed very pleased with himself while saying that.

Harry sighed and got out. There was no point arguing about it but as this was the last of it he couldn´t help but add, "Are you sure? I mean I have done much of the chores outside and got a lot of that exercise." Harry waved his bandaged arm casually.

His uncle stopped and turned his little eyes at him. He was getting quite red. "You shut your mouth, freak. We should´ve made you do much more but you had to make yourself useless! Just make sure we won´t see or hear anything from you ever again or from those freaky friends of yours. And no owls or we treat them just as Dudley proposed. Is that clear?"

Harry had sometimes wondered if the Dursley's actually believed what they said. It just sounded so stupid at times.

"You´re so sad, you know uncle Vernon. I pity you. I didn´t use any magic this summer though I could´ve. I´m not underaged anymore. Didn´t you realise that? And I bet you didn´t think, even once, that I might want to revenge everything you have done to me after I graduate. It would be so easy with magic." Harry drew out his wand and waved it in front of his uncle's nose.

"But I´m not like you," he continued. "That was the most important lesson you taught me. How to not to be prejudiced or let your fears controll your life and how to defend yourself."

Harry's uncle had lost all red color from his face and was looking sick. It was nothing what had been said, Harry was sure, that would have only made his uncle more furious. But seeing a wand tended to have such a nice blanching effect on his relatives.

He put his wand away. He had still one point to make clear.

"Uncle Vernon, if any, ANY owls arrive, they shouldn´t but IF they do, I suggest you let them leave unharmed. This is only an advice but as I have no reason to write to you, it will be from someone else. And that someone is probably a fully-grown wizard. And what do you think that person will do when he finds out, and there's no doubt about it that he will, that someone has harmed their owl?"

Harry turned and pulled his trunk out while his uncle was still in a daze. After all, he had never spoken to him this way nor drawn his wand… well, actually he had but not quite like this.

As expected, soon his uncle snapped back again and was quickly acquiring a lovely shade of crimson. "You filthy thing!" He spat but couldn't keep a slight quiver out of his voice. "NEVER COME BACK TO OUR LIVES AGAIN!" That was the last thing Harry heard before his uncle stooped in the car and drove away. It was a fitting end, Harry thought, to his connection with his relatives. No lies, no acting but true and malicious to the very end.

The way to the station hadn't been that bad. He had walked slowly, carrying his trunk and resting once in a while. The traffic was unhurried and he didn´t attrack that much attention. When people started to get out and the shops opened, he changed his pounds into smaller denominations and called a cab from a pay phone. The station wasn´t far and his money was enough. Thank Merlin he had been prepared.

o0o

Harry snapped out of his thoughts and looked outside the window, stunned at the sudden movement everywhere. The station clock showed 10:50 and the students were hastily boarding the train.

"Reparo," he said and with a wave of his wand he finally got his Hedwig's cage repaired. She wouldn´t have been pleased if it was in such a terrible condition when she would be back. That was another thing Harry had been thankful for this summer. That he had had the brains to order Hedwig to leave to Hermione as soon as he had seen his uncle waiting at the station in the beginning of the summer.

Dudley had been very dissapointed that Hedwig was gone. Evidently he had made quite plans for her and realising that she was no where to be seen, Dudley had took his rage out on the empty cage. Not that Harry would've allowed his cousing to harm her but he hadn't actually been of age yet at the time.

He looked at the big station clock again that was now 10:55 and found himself becoming worried. Not that the Weasley's had ever made it in good time to the station but we're his friends trying to miss the train this year?

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a/n. Please review and tell me what you liked, what you didn't like, what you would've written differently. This story is still missing beta btw. So, if you think you're interested, mail me. I'm sorry if there's still disturbingly many grammar mistakes but English isn't talked daily in my country. 


	2. Arrivals

Disclaimer: None of it is mine. I only borrow them for a while and I´m not earning a cent.  
  
Summary: DM/HP During the summer, before their last year in school starts, Draco Malfoy´s Veela heritage is awoken. He´s searching his mate and that leads him to the most unsuspected target. A hard and difficult one too. (I recommend all who love Draco as a Veela to read frizzy´s fanfic too. It´s great)  
  
Ch2  
  
Arrivals  
  
"Come on Ron. I want to be there already!" Hermiones voice was impatient.  
  
But she should´ve known it was always like this with the Weasleys. The morning of september 1st made the Burrow look like after a hurricane. The twins and Charlie had decided to drop by and even though there were no one else going to King Cross´ station but the three of them, Ron, Hermione and Ginny, everything was, as usual, in a mess.  
  
"Coming, coming, Mione. Just wait that I get thi...Eaaah..!"   
  
*OUF*  
  
"FRED, GEORGE! What is one.. or make that many of your mices doing here!"   
  
Ron was lying in a heap at the last step after a little flying show down the stairs. The twins joke mices had apparently taken over the house, again. Mum was going to be so pleased. But as Ron now saw it, it wasn´t his mother´s attention he had to avoid, but Hermione looked like ready to blow.  
  
"Hermione, luv.. We get there in a moment. Harry´s going to be alright. You see" And this was a statement Ron hoped to be true. He had been worried even before Hermoine had came with Hedwig and they had begged Molly and Arthur to contact Dumbledore to get Harry to Burrow. But like last summer, it had been no. It was too dangerous.  
  
And now that Ron and Hermione knew what the Dursleys could do and did for their spare time, they were slowly becoming hysterical. They had learnt it all last summer but Harry had somenly made them swear that no one else was going to hear about it. So they had to keep their mouths shut. And no matter how hard they wanted to go there and save Harry, it was too dangerous. Death eaters were on the move and the Burrow had had couple of aurors patrolling around it for the whole summer and it was impossible to sneak out. The aurors job was much easier now that the twins had moved out but still they were alert enough not to let them slip unnoticed.  
  
And they couldn´t even sent an owl to Harry. Because Hedwig had came without a letter and simply refused to go back, it was clear that it was there because Harry had ordered so. And that only ment that it wasn´t safe to sent owls there. For a reason or another. They really didn´t like to what it was all pointing at.  
  
There had been many times during the summer that they had decided to tell their parents about Harry´s bruises and cuts, but then they remembered last summer. Harry had been a mess but became so angry when they had tried to tell, and that was a mistake they didn´t want to repeat. Harry knew disturbingly many nasty hexes. But two months without nothing was pushing them on the edge, hence Hermione was now impatiently tapping her shoe at the doorway.  
  
"Ron, you can´t be sure. And here you are just playing around.." and at that moment the twins step in.  
  
"AND YOU TWO!" Fred and George jumped in the air.  
  
"What are you thinking letting mices running around here. Ron could´ve broken his neck. And get that trunk in the car. I want to be going already. Honestly!" And Hermione turned sharply and left to the car, still fuming.  
  
"Wow, mate. She´s in really.."   
  
"bad mood. What an earth did.."  
  
"you do, Ronnie?" Fred and George´s faces were drawn, for a change. Hermione had never.. well, seldomnly, shouted at them that way. Ron was mumbling something about idiots and got up as the twins took his trunk.   
  
"I mean you two.."  
  
"have been walking on nails.."  
  
"for the whole summer."  
  
"So, something is up!"  
  
"what is it?" The twins talked to Ron´s back.  
  
"Nothing. Hermione is just worried about Harry today. You know, no owls this summer." And that was the truth. At least a part that the twins could know.  
  
"Oh yeah, we know. Mum said something about it.."  
  
"yesterday. But you know Harry. He´s going to be just.."  
  
"alright like before. And you´ve got to come.."  
  
"and visit the shop next weekend! We´ve got something.."  
  
"just for Harry. But you know! National secrets can´t be given.."  
  
"to little brothers care. So we have Harry´s .. things waiting for him there"  
  
"But we DO have another package to him that we just might rely for you to give him" And they gave Ron identical smirks as they laid the trunk in the boot. And a suspiciously looking, paperwrapped box.  
  
Ron shook his head and smiled. Trust his brothers not to ever change. Moment later though, he would´ve shivered if he hadn´t had already jumped in the car because of Hermione´s glare.   
  
Ron remembered well what those ´things´ of his brothers could be. They never tricked Harry, which was frightenedly weird itself, but usually gave him some of their new things for ..testing. According to them, school was more that full of possible targets.  
  
Ginny was already in the car and Hermione had finally moved her attention to the others, hurrying them too to get in. And finally they got on the way. And didn´t even have to go back, not once, to retrieve something forgotten. Mione had made them pack everything two days ahead. And repack them. And Ginny´s parchements were easy enough to send later behind, like she said. And nobody disagreed.  
  
**  
  
Elsewhere the Malfoy limo was nearing London. Draco was lazily looking out as the scenery flew by. His father and godfather, who had come yeasterday, were talking some nonsense and he was bored.  
  
´Last school year, big deal.´   
  
He didn´t have huge expectations. He had hoped to share this year with his mate and not to digest into his studies. Draco sighed.  
  
The limo was nice. Charmed of course. No Malfoy was going to use muggle things without improving them first and this was the best way to arrive at the King Cross´ station as no apparition was allowed. And he had to go to the school by train as he was one of the prefects, and had been all the way from his fifth year.   
  
He wasn´t the head boy. That would´ve been nice. But then again, he hadn´t been expecting it either. There were three other prefects from which to choose from and even though he had the second best grades, that mudblood Granger seemed impossible to defeat, the three others had merits too.  
  
Draco sighed again and looked around. His father was still babbling something and his mother had stayed home. The beige interior looked nice against his black robes. It had for many years.   
  
´Maybe too many. Hadn´t they had this same limo for.. what, at least three or four years.´  
  
Draco nearly snorted. ´Maybe his father was getting old.´  
  
  
  
He looked at his father. Long silvery hair and same liquid like eyes. No wrinkles around them. Light brows, not drawn into anything now. No beard, that wouldn´t look good at all. His grandfather had beard and it was terrible. Then again his father had always been.. how would you put it.. elegant. And he still was.  
  
Draco had always wanted that sort of presence.   
  
´No, his father was not getting old. Definately.´  
  
So he didn´t have to remind him to get a new car. But maybe the beige could be something else in the next one. Like blue. Darkblue. It would match his eyes better and maybe it would be more.. relaxing.  
  
"Father.." and the speaking stopped abruptly.  
  
"Could you get something blue for the next time?" And both elder men looked at him questionably.  
  
".. for the car" And Draco waved his hand around. "This beige is getting on my nerves"  
  
His father glared at him for a while. Like weighing him from head to toe.   
  
Probably thinking if he was sain or not.. or worthy of an answer.  
  
Then Lucius glansed around.  
  
"Maybe you´re right, my son." The voice was without its usual sharp edge that was reserved to others.  
  
"Something blue it is then" and making a mental note about it, as well as noting to keep an eye on Draco´s NOT becoming some interior designer, it had to be Cissas influence, he turner to Severus and continued their talk.  
  
Draco would have sighed again if that wouldn´t have felt little too childish. He was seventeen already. Had to remember that. But as that was the longest conversation during the trip, he soon felt bored again. Even his godfather, Severus Snape, wasn´t any fun.   
  
´Not that I´m supposed to have fun. Maybe I´m really too old for that´  
  
And Dracos thoughts turned to his godfather.  
  
**  
  
Severus Snape had arrived the night before by floo. Malfoy manor was not a place where you could just apparate in, but how he hated flooing.  
  
After dusting himself and setting on his usual manner, he looked at the others in the room. Lucius was standing by the couch, sipping something. Probably scotch. And Draco was intensively reagarding him from an armchair by the window, reminding him why he was there in the first place.  
  
"Lucius, Draco" he curtly nodded. And Lucius´ mouth corner twisted a bit. The fact how he could always amuse that man by messing himself up, had become less and less infuriating by time  
  
"Hello godfather. You´ve been cooking something new again" And Draco was looking at him with trying-to-be-earnest-here expression on his face.  
  
And Severus watched him closely. The heritage had definately awoken this summer. It was hard to pinpoint it but the young man seemed to be glowing slightly and he definately felt the attraction around. He wanted to sigh. It was going to be a stressfull year at school.  
  
"Yes, ..godson" and the latter part was heavily emphasized out with a glare.  
  
"Though I would not call the art of potion making as cooking. And if I remember correctly" and there was the next glare  
  
"And I always do. We did have this discussion a while back"  
  
Draco was now smirking quite widely while Lucius, though clearly finding the two of them entertaining, trying to show a bit of proper behavior to his son.   
  
"Severus. Do you wish to have anything?" Lucius nodded at his glass.  
  
"Yes, thank you. Some brandy would be fine"  
  
And while Lucius was pouring him a drink, Severus turned his attention back to Draco.  
  
"How are things?" And there was a slight consern in his voice.  
  
"Oh, as good as they get, I suppose. My mate didn´t just floo in, if you´re interested." And Severus raised his brow on that.  
  
"But I see you´ve been using monkswood lately and some other ingredients. Which is a bit too much that I want to know really." Draco was looking more solemn now, taking a glance outside the window, only to be turning back when his father addressed him.  
  
"Severus will be making you a potion Draco. After you get to the school. There´s no point you being distracted while studying if your mate isn´t there. And we´ll be visiting Durmstrang near christmas" And Lucius offered the glass to Severus.  
  
"Maybe we get lucky there. Now Severus, do tell me are things ready at Hogwarts? No problems I presume?"  
  
And that was why Severus Snape had come to the manor and was going to be one of the escorting professor at the hogwarts express. A reluctant one but Draco was his godson and it was his job to make sure everything went well.   
  
He had, of course, informed the staff and the headmaster about it. No doubt Albus already knew. That damn twinkle in his eyes, while he was explaining it, was quite irritating. But now Draco had his own rooms at the Slytherin part of the castle. He already had had his own room as he was a prefect but these were bigger so he wasn´t forced to spend all his time in a small room if he didn´t like the slytherin common room. And there was, of course, his own bathroom.   
  
And he would be making the potion Lucius was talking about, that would help Draco concentrate his magic. And would take away some of his scent, so that things wouldn´t bother him that much. Unfortunately there was nothing that a veela himself could take to prevent his attraction effecting others. So there was going to be potion classes in which every student would be making his own counterpotion for it.  
  
Yes, it was certainly going to be a long year.  
  
**  
  
They were in London when Draco finally was taken away from his thoughts. It was the pull again. So soft and sweet like a breeze of wind inside him. He wanted to cherish it, as it was the only thing, there was of his mate. But the pull never comforted him. It wasn´t warm or wrapped itself around him. It was so fragile that it was futile trying to grab it. So he let it be.  
  
Arriving at Kings Cross was never pleasant. Muggles everywhere and their muggle things. His father already had the disgusted look on his face. Draco never could understand how some wizards could be dressing as muggles when they arrived. A little obscure spell kept all of them efficiently at bay and not letting them notice anything out of place.  
  
While he opened the limo door, Draco was suddenly loosing his balance as his knees went numb and he sat back down.   
  
´Oh my god..´ Was his only though as everything suddenly felt too much and like nothing at the same time.   
  
He felt it everywhere. The scent. He felt it around himself. He couldn´t get enough of it and something burst into flames inside him trying to claw its way out. He had to find the source or he felt like he was going to die.   
  
It was the first time he actually realised some things he had been reading about. It was his mate. Here. Now. And he whimpered in need.  
  
The two other passangers saw him slam back at his seat and his eyes becoming silvery and breathing ragged. And the whimper finally put them in action. Severus quickly reached and pulled the door shut while Lucius tried to get Draco to cool down. The air had suddenly warmed up a few degrees.  
  
"Draco!.. Draco. Concentrate. Severus do you have a calming potion or something with you?" Lucius asked while he was trying to snap his son out of it.  
  
"Yes I do. But I´m not sure it will help. You know the veelas .."  
  
"Shut up and give it here" Lucius coldly snapped.   
  
Draco was starting resist his fathers hands. They were wrong. They weren´t whose they were suppose to be. And they were keeping him away. And the light scent started to fade too. He couldn´t concentrate on it anymore. And he knew that it was going to go away again. And he might never find it then. He had to go after it. Otherwise he was going to die. Only his mate could save him. He had missed it so long.  
  
The scent was calling him. Awakening something that he didn´t even know was there. He felt powerfull and alive. He felt strange feelings flush over him like the ocean that washed its shores. The warm emotions that came and went, leaving him used and still like new. And he discovered that finally he was alive.   
  
Then he felt the cold liquid going down to his stomach and it spred its cold tendrils around him. And he faintly started to hear things again.  
  
"Draco.. Draco.. " someone was irritatebly calling him. And the voice was slowly coming clearer and firmer. And finally he saw his fathers face in front of him. Severus was sitting on the opposite seat looking quite calm, though his black eyes were uncharacteristicly looking very worried.  
  
** 


	3. The train trip

Disclaimer: None of it is mine. I only borrow them for a while and I´m not earning a cent.  
  
Summary: DM/HP During the summer, before their last year in school starts, Draco Malfoy´s Veela heritage is awoken. He´s searching his mate and that leads him to the most unsuspected target. A hard and difficult one too. (I recommend all who love Draco as a Veela to read frizzy´s fanfic too. It´s great)  
  
Thank you for everyone who has reviewed. I can´t believe it. And I´m forever gratefull that you let me know that you like this and what you like in this -MJ- :)  
  
The veela allurement  
  
Ch3. The train trip  
  
Harry was digging his bag. The pie had just popped into his mind and it wasn´t like he needed the extra food reserves anymore, in case of an emergency, so he could eat it. And he was hungry, a bit at least. He had eaten last yesterday morning, little after breakfast, when he had managed to grab some chicken from the fridge.  
  
Stealing food wasn´t nice but it somehow described how it was while living with the Dursleys.  
  
´This doesn´t exactly taste like it should´ Harry thought after few bites eyeing the pie suspiciously.  
  
´No wonder after two months´ and he ended throwing the pie away and settled for the water. It was wonderful feeling when it was going down and relaxing him a bit. As it felt like all his muscles were bit or more sore. The scars tightened the skin all over his body not very comfortably and dragging a trunk threw London wasn´t the best thing to do while at it. Though Harry actually had more muscles because of this summer, the trunk was still quite heavy.  
  
After a few minutes he was really getting worried because there was no sign of the Weasleys yet. They always left it nearly too late to arrive. Harry´s thoughts were cut short when his compartement door was drawn open with a slam. And at the next moment, he had an armful of Hermione on him.  
  
"Oh Harry! We were so worried. Are you alright. You weren´t in the prefects van and we looked everywhere. And Hedwig came and no mail .." Harry was smiling at Hermiones babbling.  
  
"I´m alright Herm. Believe me, but if you´d mind letting go. My arm is a bit sore"  
  
And blushing Hermione backed away. Before she had a chance to start it all again Harry added.  
  
"I missed you guys too" and gave them a warm smile. Finally he was with his friends.  
  
"Oh mate. Lucky we found you. Mione´s made us all go mental while coming here. Not that I wasn´t worried, Harry. What did they do this summer.. It wasn´t as bad, was it?" And Ron jumped on the other bench, still keeping his eyes on Harry as if he´d brake in any second or vanish in the air.  
  
"No.." Harry was just about to start telling when Hermione shut him up.  
  
"Now listen to me Harry Potter. Don´t you even dare to tell us that they were decent. We know. You look a lot skinnier again and those scratches have come from somewhere" And while she threw her bag on the seat next to Harry, she pointed Ron to close the door.  
  
"Make sure no one gets in. And Harry take that shirt off."  
  
Harry only stared at her. Not even blinking.  
  
"Come on Harry. You won´t go to see Madame Pomfrey anyway and I got these." Hermione pulled lots of vials out of her bag.  
  
"While we visited Diagon alley a week ago. And I just got some common healing potions and ointments for the cuts and bruises from the pharmacy. You don´t have any broken bones, do you?"  
  
Harry felt he was doing a pretty good impression of a goldfish but snapped out of it when Hermione pulled out a muggle first aid kit.  
  
"Hermione! I´m not dying. And no, it wasn´t as bad this summer. I only got to do a lot of work."  
  
"Then you won´t mind taking your shirt off. We´ve learned to know you in a seven years, you should know that."  
  
**  
  
Ron stood there, in front of the door and couldn´t help but smile when Hermione started to take off Harry´s shirt. He frowned when he saw the skin. It actually wasn´t as bad as the last time but if it would ´ve been, nothing could´ve kept him this time, from hexing those pigs Harry was forced to live with.  
  
He shivered when he remebered last fall. Harry had fainted during the trip to school and they had fought the first two days to get him to the infirmary. Harry was indeed too stubborn for his own good. It had taken few nasty fights to get the fact out of him exactly how those relatives of his treated him. He couldn´t understand why Harry hadn´t said anything, not even to them, not during all these years and Ron had thought that the bars had been bad. Finally they had agreed to stage a false accident in the stairs to explain his broken bones to the nurse.  
  
**  
  
"WHAT!"   
  
Ron jumped out of his memories.  
  
"They .. they did what?" Hermiones voice was a little lower now but still strained.  
  
Harry was stroking his hair uneasily.  
  
"Yeah, it went straight threw the window. But luckily none of the cuts were that deep.." By then Hermione was making little chipmunk noices and Ron decided to step in.  
  
"Now luv, please calm down. Harry´s not there anymore and he´s not going there anymore... Mione, darling?" And he carefully placed his hands around her and enfolded her into an embrace.  
  
Harry felt embarrased. He couldn´t seem to bring nothing but consern to his best friends.  
  
"I´m sorry. I shouldn´t have told you that. It is childish that I´m not able to keep them at getting me. And I always worry you.."  
  
"Harry" Came from two mouths at the same time.  
  
"It is not your fault that they are the worst bugs that ever crawled on earth"  
  
"or that they treat you like that. Now let me have a look at those." And going in the nursing mode seemed to calm Hermione down again.  
  
**  
  
Finally, after carefully cleaning all the wounds and trying desperately to fade away all the scars and healing Harry´s arm as much she knew how, Hermione sat down. Not very complacent but at least feeling a bit better.  
  
Harry was dressed and feeling a lot better. Most of the aches had dulled away and he was only tired.  
  
He yawned widely and grinned, right after when Ron started laughing.  
  
"You a bit tired there Harry."  
  
"Yeah. I don´t know why though cause I slept the whole night.."  
  
"Well, maybe it was the slight arnica powder on the healing draught. Don´t really know" Hermione smiled evilly.  
  
"Don´t look at me like that! It isn´t a sleeping potion or anything. It also heals as well as relaxes and I´m sure Harry would need some rest, wouldn´t you?" And while Ron received a glare, she gave Harry only a reassuring small smile. And he couldn´t be mad at her. To be honest, a little nap sounded good. After all the hiking he had done that day and from the experience, he knew that his friends, thankfully, didn´t wallow in giving him pity. So this atmosphere wasn´t going to last.  
  
Ron gave him a cushion and a promise to come and wake him when the trolley arrived. Harry´s last thought was, before sleep came over him, that he and Ron sure had given Hermione too much bad influence.  
  
**  
  
Meanwhile a blonde slytherin was in the prefects van. Alone, as evidently none of the other seventh year prefects were there and he was thankfull for that, as he was in a considerable distress.   
  
He had finally, nearly found what he´d been looking for. His mate. And that nearly part, was driving him crazy.  
  
Not much what his father had said to him as a farewell, had stayed in his head. Something about acting like a Malfoy and how he was happy that his son´s mate wasn´t a muggle. Not that his father had ever feared such a possibility. Malfoy´s other, perfect half couldn´t be a mere muggle. And he nearly snorted at the phrase ´act as a Malfoy´. He had been drilled that code since his birth.  
  
And that´s why he wasn´t frantically running around the train, peering into every single compartement there was. Well, that and he didn´t want to scare his mate with his enthusiasm and lost of self-controll. Walking to the train without running had been bad enough. Couldn´t they understand that his soul was screaming inside him.  
  
And the scent. He had only felt it get stronger after the wall. And now only pacing here, as it was everywhere..   
  
´wait a second. Pacing?´   
  
And Draco quickly sat down. He had to try and act normal, at least for now. To give him something familiar to hung to. But it called him and why couldn´t he just follow that creamy ..little chocolate scent with a twist of something .. something just a bit soure, like oranges.   
  
Draco shook his head a bit. This was really getting him. He had been too long without his mate and the need was close to being unbearable. Severus´ calming potion had been a joke after he had gotten himself in controll again but maybe, just maybe his godfathers presence could help him. At least he could tell him these things and Severus would try to help. Sitting there didn´t do any good, so soon the elder prefects van was completely empty.  
  
Ten minutes later, considerably paler Draco got to the teachers compartement. Severus looked up from his book when the door was pulled open.   
  
´Why couldn´t those brats manage even a one little train trip without an accident or a somesort of emergency situation. Probably one of the gryffindors. If it was the head boy, as Potters had the impeccable talent for trouble, he could take loads of points and let them start in negative points.´  
  
But his usual sneer melted away with one look at his godson.  
  
"Draco what the hell happened to you?" And he helped him sat down next to him. The boy was slightly trembling.  
  
"The scent. .. I wanted to come here, maybe calm down a bit but it was a huge mistake to ever leave. I feel it everywhere and I nearly lost it when I ran into Granger and she smelled just right.." Draco tried to get his breathing even out.  
  
Severus´ eyebrow was up, egging him to go on.  
  
"But it wasn´t her. That bloody mudblood has hugged half the train by now and the next thing was, of course, the Weasel but she had gotten it on him too." If Severus would´ve been a person keen to smile, he would´ve been laughing by now. If, to nothing else, then for the expression on his godson´s face.  
  
" I nearly started to hope that maybe my mate would be a gryffindor... I mean that would limit my search into one house only but no. Pansy had a faint scent on her too.. No mistaking for it. She naturally knows what I am and I nearly had to drag her in here because she just didn´t leave. Babbling something about mating the whole time." And now Draco had his head in his hands. All the Malfoy attitude gone but still being none the less gracefull.  
  
"And it´s not just that but my alluring has changed into overspeed. I´m like some kind of a magnet when walking there. Everyone and I mean everyone seems to run into me deliberately. And not to whine or anything but I.really.want.my.mate. and everyone else is just irritating the hell out of me."  
  
Severus contemplated it all for a while. He certainly knew that Draco´s attraction had gotten stronger. Only thing keeping him at bay was the fact that this was his godson and a student. So being among the others in a cramped up train wasn´t easy not to mention the scent. It had nearly made the young man lost it all at first time. He had never realised that the effect would be so strong.  
  
"You´ll stay here for the rest of the journey. Here´s room enough and students rarely come in. And as you pointed out, you can´t search your mate now. Just wait until we´re at school and then you can start it. Maybe a little game of chess meanwhile would calm you down?"  
  
**  
  
Harry woke up slowly. Everything felt soft and just perfectly nice. He didn´t want to open his eyes and see if he was at the Dursleys but slowly he allowed his brains to remember. And when he ended up remembering Hermione, he smiled. He was finally free.   
  
It was an odd feeling. That he felt relieved even with Voldemort still out there and an ironic little thought entered his head. What would the current dark lord do if he knew that the-boy-he-so-had-tried-to-kill was more happy to get away from his relatives than he would be if Voldemort would drop dead now.   
  
Probably very pissed.  
  
´No need to share that information then´ he smirked.  
  
Ron hadn´t awoken him so the foodcart probably hadn´t visited yet and Harry enjoyed the little time he had for himself.  
  
"Hey Harry.. you´re awake! See, I told you Mione." Ron rushed in.  
  
"He told you what?" Harry asked puzzled but Hermione only snorted at him.  
  
"I told her that when food was coming no one could sleep. But she kept on insisting that the potion would keep you sleeping longer." Ron whispered to him, loudly enough to make sure Hermione heard it too and in the end they got into one of their rows again.   
  
Harry smiled even more happily. This all felt so familiar and nice.   
  
The door was opened again and another red head came in.  
  
"Ginny. Nice to see you again." The youngest of the Weasleys had grown during the summer. Her hair was short but she was nearly as tall as he. And clearly, Ron was going to complain a lot more about her potential boyfriends this year. Ginny wasn´t a girl anymore.  
  
"Harry.. HARRY! You´ve .. you´ve grown." And Ginny just stared for a while. Her childhood idol, later become a good friend, had changed during the summer. She couldn´t believe Hermione didn´t tell her.   
  
Harry was taller. Not much. Not like Ron. But he had muscles. Well toned muscles. That shirt fit perfectly and how wide chest he had and his arms that even looked very strong. Not to mention that Harry looked eatable. His skin was tanned and he had a jaw that simply called to caress it. Those glasses couldn´t hide the color of the emerald eyes anymore, especially with that shirt. And his hair was so cutely messed up.  
  
"Yeah, few inches finally. At least now I´m not shorter than Herm anymore" ..and Harry´s smile made Ginny´s knees go wobbly.  
  
Hermione laughed. Ginny´s face was so funny and her eyes had nearly fallen out.  
  
"Yes, Harry´s become quite a hunk. But honestly Gin, stop goggling"  
  
Ron looked lost for a while but then checked his best friend a little better and even he had to admit it. Last year Harry had looked just like a kid. Nearly the same when he had first seen him but now his friend had finally grown. And there was something in him that called for .. respect.  
  
Their Harry assessment and the targets protests on the subject were quickly forgotten when the trolley came. Harry put his galleons to better use and bought huge amounts of chocolate frogs, as they came handy when ever he felt drained. And he also bought enough sweets and other stuff to suffice for the rest of the journey.. at least.  
  
"Harry, where´s your headboy badge?" Hermione asked a bit later still eating.  
  
"What! You never told us that Harry was a headboy this year" Ron looked accusable to them both, mouth full of chocolate frog.  
  
"It´s in my bag. McGonagall gave me the letter last spring before we left school. Just like she gave Hermione´s letter too. Something about that we then would have the whole summer to get ready or something."  
  
"Well, I´ve been preparing. I can´t believe you haven´t Harry. You know that we lead the prefects meatings from now on and there´s lots of other responsibilities for us now too. I red few books during the summer. The best was ´the quide for important heads´ by Reddon. It really listed the.."  
  
"Oh Mione give it a rest." And Ron kissed her. It was well-researched way to efficiently shut her up. Ginny silently slipped out. She probably had seen the two of them a bit too often doing that this summer.  
  
Hermione blushed but then she went into action again.  
  
"Oh Harry! I nearly forgot. We have all your letters. You know, after Hedwig came" and there was a small happy hoot from her cage.  
  
"Yes, after she came and refused to leave, we didn´t send any for you cause we thought it wouldn´t be safe. But we wrote to Snuffles and Remus and they sent your letters for us to deliver forward. Two exactly. Of course we didn´t tell them and worry them. And when we used Hedwig, at the end of the summer, to owl the headmaster about you coming to the Burrow, we got all our school letters with her when she came back. Yours too. They probably thought that Hedwig was coming back to you" And Hermione handed him four letters.  
  
"The last one is from Hagrid. We contacted them all for asking about birthday gifts. So that no one would get the same as someone else. And we got all of them." Hermione was smiling smuggly by now.  
  
"Your presents that is. It wasn´t easy not to raise any suspicions but as we promised to deliver them to you and pointed out that a flog of owls was going to get too much attention, no one objected. The presents are in Ron´s trunk. You get them tonight. You´ve got no idea how hard it has been to make sure Ron´ll keep his hands off of them"  
  
"Oh Mione. You never know what sutff Snuffles got to him" Ron whined.  
  
"mmm.. Harry. Why didn´t you let Hedwig come back? I mean, of course we got it when she absolutely refused to leave and we did everything we could to prevent any other owls but why?" Hermione´s question hang in the air for a while.  
  
Harry sighed. They had made a pack in their fifth year not to lie to each others and only keep things when absolutely necessary. It had saved their friendship, while two of them dated and the world when bizark. And they were his friends. He knew what was going on in their lives and IT was a relief to tell someone about his own.  
  
"It was the Dursleys, Dudley. This summer wasn´t nice and if Hedwig would´ve stayed.. She wouldn´t been safe. And thanks for getting all the letters. I was going nuts at my birthday only thinking of all the owls that would come. I think Dudley even stayed up all night waiting."  
  
Hermione was getting red. She really had developed a temper during these years.  
  
"I.. I can´t believe them! To attack owls! I was worried that you might be so dissapointed when you didn´t get your presents this year but I though you might have had a vision or something that they were tracking the owls to find you but I never.. They should be hexed!"  
  
Ron was looking equally angry.   
  
"We´ll get them. Sooner or later." That simple statement was made in a voice that left no suspicions about it.  
  
It felt good to know that they cared. And to tell the truth, Harry had been worried when nothing came at midnight and especially when nothing came from Sirius but this way was best.  
  
"Hey Harry. I do have something for you now" Ron turned and started to lift a huge box under his bench.  
  
"Twins send this to you. They also told that they got some ´stuff´ for you at the shop and you should visit soon" Ron lifted the box on the seat.  
  
Harry was looking curiously at it. Since he had donated them his winnings in his fourth year, the twins had stopped tricking him. They said that it wasn´t appropriate to embarras their ´saviour´. The no-tricking-thing scared Ron enourmously, not that they had tricked him much before that.   
  
And last year, when they finally opened their store, they had made him a partner. Owning one third of everything and getting one third of the winnings. Harry had refused at first when they had offered half for him and he had refused later too but in the end it didn´t help. Of course he knew that the twins would have a collection of the newest pranks by now for him at the store but what had they got him here.  
  
Harry carefully opened the letter attached to it.  
  
Dear Harry,  
  
We are pleased to announce that our business has started with a boom!  
  
That´s an underestatement George! You know it. Harry it´s been crazy!  
  
Let me keep this Official Fred. It´s the first letter to our benefactor!  
  
smirk  
  
And your first dividend is already deposited in the your vault.   
  
Oh mate. You don´t believe how the money is just pouring in!  
  
BUT when we heard from your two closest ones that you haven´t gotten access to Diagon alley this summer,  
  
And it wasn´t easy to get those two stop snogging even for that bit of information  
  
Aargh I give up! Harry here are your school supplies for this year. Books and stuff. I got the list from Ron.  
  
" got "   
  
Yeah, well what Ronnikins doesn´t know, doesn´t hurt him! *smirk*  
  
Now mate, if you have your books already just get these back to us. No harm done  
  
But if we have taken even a little of your worries of your chest..  
  
..we´ll find ourselves happy!  
  
Not that Fred here already isn´t. There´s this brunette living next door..  
  
George that´s horrible! Her hair is more like coffee brown..  
  
you see? *twink*  
  
Now Harry REMEMBER to drop by..  
  
Yours truly.  
  
F&G  
  
WWW  
  
"It´s my school stuff. I already forgot that I asked them to get it" Harry smiled. Leave it to the twins to notice the little things. Snape wouldn´t leave it if he didn´t have the potion book in the first lecture and they knew it.  
  
"Why didn´t you ask us to get them?" Ron pouted and Harry could only assume that he had been at the receiving end of many pranks this summer.  
  
"I forgot it myself and my books weren´t the main consern this summer. And they travel a lot between Diagon alley, Hogsmead and the Burrow. It was easy for them." Being a partner in Weasleys Wizard Whizbees was one of the rare things Harry didn´t share with his friends. He was afraid that it´d be uncomfortable for Ron, as it usually was when they were talking about money.  
  
"I wondered that. Your books I mean. Especially when we still had your school letter. But I´m glad it worked all out. Other wise we wouldn´t have no choice but to sneak up to the Diagon alley this weekend. And headboy and girl getting caught at something like that would´ve been scandalous"  
  
Ron´s eyes were bulging at first and then his mouth went into pouting again.  
  
"I can´t believe you´d do that and I can´t believe you didn´t tell me you planned to do that and now I can´t believe that we don´t get to do it Mione! That would´ve been so great! I´ll strangle Fred and George for this"  
  
Harry was laughing. It was simply great to be back.  
  
"Look at the time. We got to get into our robes soon" Hermione was trying to distract Ron but it was Harry´s groan that did it.  
  
"I forgot my robes in my trunk. I have to get them at the station when we get there and put these books away too" 


	4. The 1st encounter

Disclaimer: None of it is mine. I only borrow them for a while and I'm not earning a cent. Frizzy writes marvellous fanfiction describing Draco as a veela.(Rowling: Harry Potter books 1 to 5, Frizzy: Veela attraction)  
  
Summary: DM/HP During the summer, before their last year in school starts, Draco Malfoy's Veela heritage is awoken. He's searching his mate and that leads him to the most unsuspected target. A hard and difficult one too.   
  
I thank my beta, Juniper, who has graciously corrected my mistakes and has made this story more fluid and understandable. (not all chapters are yet betaed. I'm at fault of the flipflops ahead or behind.)  
  
** Thank you all so much for reviewing. That's the main reason for this next chapter coming here now. I promised myself not to let the reviews get to me (or the lack of them) but now I'm thrilled!  
  
****************The veela allurement***************  
  
Ch4. The 1st encounter  
  
Draco was silently sitting in a window seat in the carriage. He had thought of going with a few third year Hufflepuffs, but it was safer to be with a known enemy, than an unknown one, especially as everyone seemed to be looking at him a little too intensely. Thus he was sitting with his usual company, this years 7th year Slytherins.   
  
Anyway it was better to face the possible problems with his housemates now, and make it clear to them that nothing had changed. Veela or not. But it was proving to be increasingly difficult. Not that they didn't all admit that everything was just like before, and he was sure, if he was to ask them to bow to him, they would. But they were doing it all with that annoying look on their face, the look that said you-are-the-all-mighty-veela-we-don´t-have-any-brain-activity-left.  
  
He had firmly made Pansy, Greg and Vincent sit across from him. He didn't trust any of them to sit beside him, not after the train ride. Blaise wasn't proving to be any better though. Draco felt that his glare didn't seem to be having as much of an effect as it normally did, and he finally had to resort to a good old stupefy to stop the excessive 'accidental' caressing. He groaned deeply as he looked ahead. Pansy had been staring at him the whole journey.  
  
'Didn't she ever need to blink?' He was used to being looked at, admired and certainly he had always gotten what he wanted, from nearly everybody. After all he was bloody gorgeous, not to mention loaded and he was a Malfoy, but this was getting to be a tad too much. Especially with his mate was still out there, somewhere. The allurement was meant for his mate, and it felt insulting somehow that others were affected by it.  
  
When they finally arrived at the school, he rushed up to the hall the second the carriage stopped. Well, he didn't run. That would've been so not appropriate, but merely walked with long strides and the speed was only to make his robes billow nicely. Someone else could take care of Blaise, or that idiot could just stay there and learn. Besides he had to be among the first ones there, that way he could try to look for the scent. First he had felt suffocated when it was all around him, but now he felt empty and hollow when it was missing. Restless.  
  
He was starting to get anxious and it was becoming difficult to cover. Luckily no one paid any attention to that. They all paid attention to him, but the dazed looks being shot his way seamed dim, to say the least. He laughed a little and concentrated on the student flow coming in.   
  
'Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws, Slytherins, Gryffindors, the whole lot of them. Mudblood, Weasel, Weaselette .. no wait. Was that a head girl badge on Granger?!' That would mean she could actually deduct points this year. Luckily Gryffindors were usually too noble to use that little upper hand too outrageously on their own behalf. Still, an agreeable and too kind Hufflepuff or a Ravenclaw, who were easily bend on ones side with good arguments would've been better. And Gryffindor or not, that mudblood was one he didn't trust in any situation. Then again, maybe some ravenclaw was the head boy.  
  
The flow of the students calmed down slowly and merry chatter filled the hall. Few last Gryffindors sneaked in, in pairs, puffing. Everything seemed to be in order but Draco felt that something was still missing. Then suddenly it hit him. The scent wasn't there. He had felt it on the train, everywhere. He should've felt it here too even if his mate was on the other side of the hall. Even if his mate wasn't here but was abywhere in the castle, he would've picked something up. Anything.  
  
Slowly Draco was letting his thoughts panic him.  
  
'What if my mate is not at Hogwarts? But then why was the scent on the train. I couldn't have only imagined it. Have I lost it, again? What if I didn't find my mate in time? Do I get a second chance? What did mother say? ..that loosing my mate would kill me, drive me insane.. but there was suppose to be time. Though what does she know. She doesn't have her own perfect.' And that was the way his thoughts ran around until Draco felt a light stab on his side.  
  
"Draco darling, are you all right? I can help you with anything a little later." Pansy flashed her eyelashes in a supposedly flirty way.  
  
"Would you already like something to eat? You must be exhausted! My poor Draco. If only this would go on a little faster.. " Her voice filled his ears and he was getting irritated. He wasn's sure who he should be madder at her or himself, for not noticing her sneaking to sit beside him. This evening was going steadily downwards. Not a good day.  
  
There was one thing that was nice about Pansy's interruption though. He got his thoughts back together.  
  
'Well, I felt it and my mate was on the train. Now the only thing is to find the scent again, and with it my mate' Draco straightened his back, a small smile spreading on his lips and started looking to see if anyone else had noticed his little absent moment.  
  
No one seemed to have spotted his absence. The first years had come in and the sorting was going on. Slytherin had had two new members already. In the end they got nine new first years, and then the headmaster gave his little speech. It was nearly same every year. Draco was starting to understand clearly why his father wanted to see someone else on that position. The old mudloving coot was simply too boring, but finally the feast begun. The funny thing was that he wasn't that hungry. Usually he felt starved at this point, but now he only put something on his plate just for the show.   
  
Slowly the attention in the hall moved to him. He could see how it went forward. First there were only few glances from his own house. Then a few more from the younger Hufflepuffs who tried not to let him see it. Then the whispers started and some girls were giggling and it simply grew from there.   
  
'Who am I kidding. I enjoy the attention, and the effects of it' Draco smiled inwardly and took a sip of his pumpkin juice. Pansy was seething, and if he'd allowed it, she would've been dangling from his arm by now possessively. Gryffindors were the funniest of the lot. So confused. He raised an eyebrow at the funny halfblood boy who was on his final year, and the boy blushed, turned away and a moment later turned to look at him again.  
  
Hufflepuffs were giggling, even the boys. They were truly sorry bunch. Some Ravenclaws were clearly thinking and one of them would figure it out soon enought. It would be too tempting for them to have this sort of dilemma in their hands without knowing which book covered it.   
  
Then there were the teachers. Of course they already knew about him but was professor Sprout actually blushing when he caught her eyes and the Headmaster certainly found something extremely amusing.   
  
But in the end, no matter how funny it was, this all meant nothing. The only one he wanted to impress wasn't here. This attraction might be useful if he learned to control it, but his perfect was missing, and without them he didn't have any hope. Draco pushed the food on his plate around. He was forced just to sit there, waiting and thinking. The time seemed to be running much slower than usual.  
  
Tomorrow was going to be an equally long day. Everyone would know that he was a Veela by then and moving around unnoticed so that he might find the scent would be difficult.  
  
Halfway threw the feast Draco thought he felt something. Something hard to place at first but then it got stronger and it made him so happy that nothing mattered anymore. It was the scent. Faint and vague but it was there. Draco didn't know what it meant that he felt it only now but he was going to find out, and then he smiled so brightly that Pansy actually dropped off the bench, and there was a red blush vividly spreading across the Gryffindor table. They were weird. He had always said so.  
  
**  
  
Harry was walking towards the cargo van after forcefully pushing Hermione and Ron into one of the carriages. He didn't need their help in just finding his trunk, and he didn't want to make them all late for the feast. Hermione had pointed out that she could just transfigure his clothes into robes and they could leave the box somewhere to wait. She was always a bit excited after doing the little concealment charm on him to cover his bruises and all. He had refused.  
  
Harry wanted to put his books away, and in any case, it wasn't supposed to be that big of a job.   
  
How wrong had he been. By the time he got there, half of the luggage had already been transported away and he tried to hastily find his trunk, but everything was popping off in front of him. It was hopeless. After he finally gave up, the last carriage was long gone. He would have to walk to the school with his box all the way.   
  
Then Harry groaned and hit his head with his hand. He lowered the box to the ground, took his wand out and put a feather-light spell and a size reducing spell on the box. Now it was only a little bigger than a match box and weighed practically nothing.  
  
Feeling utterly stupid, Harry turned to school and started walking. Apparently this was going to be one of those years when he would, once more, miss the feast. The walk was going to be long and lonely and he was very tempted to try out his animagus form. He hadn't been able to practise with it during the whole summer, but it didn't seam safe doing it this near Hogsmead.  
  
He was still unregistered but then again, he was still at school and he wasn't expected to register before he got out. Harry knew that he was only splitting the hairs, mainly because no one expected anyone to be an animagus while still at school. Then the though of marauders passed his head and a little glint appeared on his eyes. Then there was a smirk on his face as he looked around and melted into shadows of the trees.   
  
Soon there was a creature running in the forbidden forest that had not been seen there for ages. It ran forward fast and softly with two distinguished paws and with two different ones.  
  
**  
  
Harry was little out of breath but extremely happy when he arrived at the school. Having wisened from earlier experiences, he carefully kept an eye out for teachers. Not nevessarily all of them would be at the feast.   
  
Harry thought about transfiguring his clothes into robes now and go in to join the feast, but that would mean that he would be left naked under the robes. It wouldn't be the first time if his transfigurations would decide to go wrong somehow and in this particular case he didn't want to risk it. His magic did that sometimes nowdays, or at least had done last spring. Besides, there was no hope in sneaking into the great hall now so he might just as well go and search for his trunk, his real robes and his rooms.  
  
He passed the first years trunks in the hall. Most of those had already disappeared into their new dormitories, which meant that the sorting was well over. His stomach grumbled just to remind him how utterly stupid and pointless all this had been. Ending only in him not being there now and eating. While Harry walked pass the closed great hall doors and started to head up the stairs, he was silently muttering under his breath all the way.  
  
The fat lady was still guarding the Gryffindor tower entrance.  
  
"Hello there dear. Nice to see you back again." She chirped fondly.  
  
"Umm.. Hello. I don't seem to have the password yet." Harry smiled widely while saying it. It never hurt with her.   
  
"and I was wondering if you could help me in. I'm the new head boy so it should be all right"  
  
The painting looked miserable and wrung her hands.  
  
"Oh, Harry darling. You might not know this yet, but because of the times out there are what they are," She waved her hand to point outside.  
  
"The security measures were tightened during the summer. I'd love to let you in. This corridor is not a nice place for you students to spent time, but I can't, not without the password... Though as you are the head boy, you could just reset the password." And the painting winked at him.  
  
Harry thought about it for a while but if he'd reset it, he would have to stay here anyway to tell the prefects the new one and explain why it was changed and all. Harry sighed and sank to the floor to wait for the others to arrive. This was not the best day of his life though it had had some very good moments. At least he would have someone to talk to while waiting,  
  
"So how's Violet been?" and he also had few spare chocolate frogs in his bag.  
  
**  
  
Finally he heard voices coming closer, which meant that the feast was over and the students were arriving. Harry got up and moved to the shadowy windowsill that was near, that way he wouldn't be the first thing everyone would notice and if he was really lucky no one would notice him at all. That, of course, was too much to ask, as McGonagall was the first to arrive this year. Usually she came by a little later or the next day to welcome them all.  
  
It was useless to hope that he might just slip by when he noticed the stern glare that was pointed directly at him. Harry stood and went towards her, while the new prefects were escorting the first years threw the portrait hole. He might not have his robes but at least he had his head boy badge on and he heard that the password was 'cheese pudding'.  
  
"Mr. Potter. You were absent at the feast. I do hope it was your new head boy responsibilities that kept you from attending?" McGonagall's voice wasn't warm and the fourth year students were filing in much more faster, some giving him sorrowful looks.  
  
"Well, it sort of was" Harry tried to keep his voice hopeful and light. It was tricky thing to keep up the appearance that the situation wasn't that severe or in need of much attention, and still maintain the idea that he wasn't taking it too lightly. During his years at Hogwarts Harry had learned that sometimes, when it was done right, McGonagall could be handled. Though Harry wasn't sure if this time was one of those times.  
  
"Sort of?"  
  
"You see I had this little misplacement problem with my robes and I didn't want to appear at the feast dressed like this," said Harry waving at his muggle clothing.  
  
"But I ran into some unexpected difficulties while solving it." He tried to smile as honestly as he could, hoping she wouldn't ask him what those difficulties were. He would have detention surely if McGonagall found out how stupid he had been. She only looked at him and sighed lightly.  
  
"Somehow, when it's you who is in question Mr. Potter, that all seems to make perfect sense but.."  
  
"Harry! There you are. Where on earth were you? We started to get worried again.. Oh, hello professor McGonagall. Sorry for interrupting." Ron and Hermione were talking simultaneously and Harry was starting to get flashbacks about the twins.  
  
"Would you all calm down." She finally ordered and that effectively shut their mouths. Luckily McGonagall also seemed to overlook Harry's earlier behaviour as she continued,  
  
"Now that I have both, the head girl and the head boy, in my house this year, I thought I'd best to come by tonight. I'll show you your new rooms and tell you a little about your responsibilities in this year. Mr. Weasley, you can go now. I'm sure that by tomorrow you'll know where your friends are staying."  
  
And McGonagall left to walk along the corridor clearly expecting them to follow. Hermione left a quick kiss on Ron's cheek and rushed after the professor. Harry just rolled his eyes and turned to Ron. "Wait in the common room. We'll come back after this. I only hope this doesn't take the whole night."  
  
Ron smirked at him while looking over him.  
  
"I see you still don't have your robes. 'It's going to be really simple. Why would I need your help with it'" Ron mimicked his words just as he had said it to them at the station. Harry only smacked him on the head and rushed after Hermione and McGonagall who were just about to turn behind the corner.  
  
**  
  
They went a few floors down and walked a few very long corridors until they arrived in the fourth floor. They had hardly any classes there and usually they just ran pass it at the staircases.  
  
"Now, the head boy and girl have to be available to all the students. Little like prefects, but now you have to be ready to help all the students from all the houses. That's why your rooms are in the middle, between the towers and the dungeons.. Usually single students don't come to you but prefects must be able to rely on you in any situation." McGonagall was swiftly walking forwards.  
  
"You, of course, know that now you can actually deduct points and you are supposed to set an example with your behaviour. Remember that. And I suppose I don't have to remind you in which situations you're supposed to take points and in which not. You may even give detentions but those must be approved by a teacher." They had now arrived to a long hallway with many windows overseeing the lake.   
  
"Your rooms location are known to everyone and that is why you should ward them just as the teachers do. You don't have a common room or a tower to ensure your privacy anymore. We expect that you can do the necessary warding yourself by now but there is always a portrait guarding your entrance and the password is for you to place. Keep in mind that if you're needed, you need to know about it. So no warding that would prevent you hearing someone knocking on your door." They stopped in front of a very familiar painting of sir Cadogan.  
  
"Who dares to try to interrupt the peace I guard!" He growled out waving his sword up above his head. McGonagall seemed unaffected and only said, "Bluebells" and the portrait swung open, revealing a cosy looking room decorated in blue.   
  
"These are your rooms Ms. Granger. There's a small living room, bedroom and your own bathroom." They peeked inside and the accommodations looked very nice. Hermione was nodding vigorously and her enthusiasm was shining threw. "Now let's continue" And on they went again, though not far.  
  
They passed another hallway and McGonagall pointed at the door in the end of it.   
  
"There are staircases behind it. You can move quickly all the way from the second floor to the seventh by using them. The doors have a password so that the students won't be running them up and down. You define the password by giving it to this door. It doesn't affect the teachers so you're free to change it as you wish."   
  
And onwards they went again by few paintings until they were at the very end of the hallway. From there opened a wonderful view again. Overlooking the lake from one window and the window on the other wall gave a splendid view of the quidditch field.   
  
There was an empty looking scenery painting hanging on the wall that was filled with white flowers. They actually seemed to glow a little. Then one of the flowers opened and a small fairy peaked out and watched them carefully with deep blue eyes. It nodded the next flower near it and soon there was a second fairy peeking out and in no time, most of the flowers were open, all holding a small creature in them.  
  
"Godrick" After McGonagall had said it, the painting didn't swung open but it started to shimmer and it became transparent until it wasn't even there. The frames formed a doorway now to another room, similar to Hermione's, only it was decorated in warm green and golden mix with some beige to soften the colours a bit.  
  
"These are your rooms Mr. Potter. Your belongings are in your rooms already and I shall leave you to organise them now. Tomorrow we shall have the first prefects meeting. Ms. Granger shall lead it as you Mr. Potter, have an appointment with the headmaster."McGonagall was looking around approvingly and continued her instructions.   
  
"Exactly 7 p.m. in the normal meeting room Ms. Granger. And headmaster Dumbledore wished me to ask from both of you if you'd be interested in some additional responsibilities. That is being substitute teachers if the need ever arises. You both have your strong areas in subjects and together you'll cover them all quite aptly. There's no rush with that decision, you can think about it for a while." Then McGonagall turned as to leave but hesitated a moment.  
  
She looked at both of them and her expression became much softer."I must say that I'm very proud of you two. It has been a long time since both of you have come from my house." She gave them a small smile and left the room. Harry looked outside only to see her soon turn to the small hallway where the door to the staircases was.  
  
"Well this is.. this just is.. I can't beli.. Harry.." This was one of those rare moments when Harry saw Hermione speechless. It lasted until Hermione remembered that Harry hadn't been at the feast.  
  
Finally, when he had managed to explain it to Hermione, so that it all made some sense, she turned to leave muttering to herself something about boys while walking back to her room and Harry was left to think about what an earth Dumbledore could want from him, already.   
  
He had agreed to meet up with Hermione in twenty minutes and then go and see Ron, who must be getting restless by now. In the mean time, Harry decided to check the room. He came to the conclusion that he really liked them. Gryffindor prefects didn't have their own personal rooms, though he had heard that Slytherin and Ravenclaw prefects did, but this was the first time Harry actually had his very own room. Sure the Dudley's second bedroom had been his occasionally but it wasn't like 'his' his, and he never had anything there besides his bed and table.  
  
Here he had a small fireplace and a green soft couch with two huge armchairs in the living room, or his private common room, whatever one decided to call it. There were also few bookshelves and a table beside a window. The window had to be charmed as there was supposed to be only a solid wall on that side.  
  
His eyes widened when he opened the door to his bedroom. The four poster bed was huge and there he could feel the traditional Gryffindor colours all around him, though in little darker shades. And the window in this room wasn't bewitched as the quidditch pitch was actually on that side of the castle and he was near the outer wall. It was simply amazing.  
  
From his bedroom led a door to his very own bathroom. Small but it had a bathtub and a shower. All arranged very comfortably. He even had his own talking mirror.  
  
**  
  
Harry was walking towards the Gryffindor common room with Hermione. The staircases had ended behind a tapestry little away from Professor Flitwick's office, which was odd as they were supposed to be on the other side of the castle. Hogwarts was a funny place like that.  
  
They were both dressed in black robes now. Harry would need to get a new set as all his robes were at least a year old and although they weren't actually too small, they weren't that comfortable anymore.  
  
The first things Harry had crabbed when leaving his rooms, were his father's cloak and the marauder's map. Of course, he had all the rights to be moving around the corridors, but running into Filch or worse, some teacher who might want to have some company while patrolling the hallways, was encouragement enough for him to take them. Harry remembered with terror the time in his sixth year when he was a prefect and Professor Trelawney had wanted to do just that. The shivers he still got only thinking of it. Yes, he was better to be safe than sorry.  
  
Ron was waiting for them in the common room. He was sitting alone in the couch in front of the fireplace and his head was hanging sleepily. Everyone else had gone to bed already.  
  
"Finally! What took you guys so long. I was beginning to think that McGonagall led your to the dungeons. So, where's our new quarters?" Ron grinned and grabbed Hermione by her waist.  
  
"Honestly Ron" Hermione laughed and then swatted Ron's hands.   
  
"And don't squeeze that hard. I bet I got bruises from Parkinson in the train. I don't think that she uses her eyes on anything else except checking if her hair is all right. Looking where she's going might be a good use for them too.. " And while smoothing over her side she suddenly got exited.  
  
"Oh Ron you wont ever guess what McGonagall said! She said that we might be used as a substitute teachers if needed. And that headmaster Dumbledore was the one.." Harry let it all fade away. He knew it already and now that everything was all right, his stomach suddenly decided to remind him that he hadn't eaten tonight. A strong growl made him give apologetic smile to his friends and Hermione started to giggle.  
  
"Mate you missed the best feast yet. There were 5 different kinds of pies. Can you believe it. We never had had that many. Not to mention the roast beef.. " It was Ron's turn to smooth his side when Hermione punched him.  
  
"Oh yeah, we got eleven first years too but the food WAS good, Mione." Ron tried to look hurt.  
  
"The only thing that spoiled the mood, naturally, was Malfoy. You won't believe it Harry. The git behaved like a king for the whole time, that blonde ferret. He's even worse than before. I don't understand how even the slytherins can stand him.." Ron's ranting was cut short by Hermione.  
  
"Ron! I don't think Harry needs to hear about him now. I don't, though you were right. There is something.. different in him this year. Well, as long as he doesn't bother us with it."  
  
"Mione, how can you say that? He always does! Always. Why should now be different. We just need to figure out what it is, before he does it.." Harry was drooping out again and by the second time his head was nearly lulled over to sleep, he stood up.  
  
"Guys I think it's bedtime, at least for me. I'm still hungry though so I'll just go around the kitchens, say hello to Dobby and grab something to eat. Hermione will you show our rooms to Ron? Or do we meet here in the morning?"  
  
Hermione looked at Ron who was looking panicked by the thought that she wouldn't. She smiled a bit. "I think I'll do it now. I can't have my boyfriend wandering around during the night trying to find us, can I? We'll come and get you in the morning Harry, don't worry."  
  
**  
  
Harry had always felt peaceful while walking in the castle at night. The air was cool and fresh. The corridors were empty and the pale moonlight filtered threw the countless windows making the shadows seem softer. Only his steps echoed the walls while he headed downstairs.   
  
The kitchens were the exact opposite of all that. The elves were shuffling around and always seemed to be doing several things at a time. Maybe they never slept.  
  
"Harry Potter Sir! How it is nice to see sir again. Dobby is so happy. What can Dobby do for sir Harry Potter?" When Harry finally got to leave the elves, after two cups of tea and countless offers for biscuits, he actually had a basket full of fruits and pies with him. They would last him for a week and he had already declined from most of the stuff. He would need to get Ron to visit him sometimes soon to take care of all that food.  
  
Harry was on his way to the staircases when he heard rushed footsteps coming closer. He threw the invisibility cloak on and went to walk near the wall. He was thankful for his cloak as he soon saw who it was that was coming and he silently groaned. He really didn't need any word-fighting at this time of the night, with Malfoy of all the people. Besides Malfoy was a prefect and if he wanted to have a little midnight stroll out, he had every right to do it.   
  
Harry decided to sneaked pass him as silently as he could. Malfoy had stopped in mid way of the corridor and just when he had passed him, Harry heard a sharp intake of breath that made him stood frozen in place. Malfoy must've heard his footsteps. When Harry carefully looked back, the other boy was looking directly at him and his heart beat jumped. Then Malfoy looked in the other way, clearly searching for something. Harry didn't want to stay and find out how long it would take him to find him, so he left as quietly as he could.   
  
Just when he was getting around the corner, he looked back. Hermione had been right. There was something weird about Malfoy this year. It was hard to pinpoint but definitely something. He couldn't explain it but he felt it. The other boy was still looking around, nearly frantically by now. And the look on his face was so intense and so lost and it made Harry wish...  
  
He shook his head. He must be more tired than he had thought because the day he would have any warm or gentle feelings towards Malfoy, was the day Flitwick would tell them that he was Hagrid's cousin.  
  
**  
  
Earlier that night.   
  
Draco was lying on his bed, wide awake. 'Why did I feel the scent so late. It doesn't make sense.' Draco had been puzzled by it all for a good time by now, but even if there were some questions, he was sure that his mate was one of the students, and not a Slytherin.   
  
'Great. Maybe I'll have one of the Hufflepuffs' Draco groaned and turned to lay on his other side. His new rooms were good to have. It had raised only a few questions and much more simple whining that he didn't sleep in Slytherin dungeons anymore. Well, actually he did, but his rooms weren't strictly a part of it. The door to his room was one corridor left from his common room entrance. If Severus hadn't stop by just after the feast and told the slytherins to rely on the prefects at hand rather than him, at least for tonight, he'd have a mile long queue outside his door by now.  
  
Draco groaned again and finally got up. He was feeling nervous and the pull was back in full force again. It knew just how to tease him more. He had tried to follow the scent after leaving the great hall, but he wasn't some dog that could just sniff its way around.   
  
'I mean, isn't my mate supposed to come to me?! That's why I am the Veela here and everyone was watching me tonight.' Life's little irony that everyone else would be coming but the one he wanted. 'The one I need' Draco kicked his pillow that was lying on the floor.   
  
What the hell was he doing in his rooms anyway. He should be out searching. He was a Slytherin for Merlin's sake, and a Malfoy. He knew exactly where the other houses common rooms were. All he had to do was to pay a little visit on each one of the entrances and he'd know at least from which house his evasive mate was.  
  
Malfoy's may be patient but when they decided something, they wasted no time afterwards. Draco's door closed with a thump. Then it opened again and he stepped back in, only to cover his pyjamas with a black robe though and then he was gone again.  
  
**  
  
The red baron greeted him shortly when he walked by. He tried to be careful though. Mainly because he didn't feel like he had the patience to answer any stupid questions. The Hufflepuff common room was on the way up. Frightenedly close to the Slytherin part come to think of. He had always thought that Longbottom should've been one of them, and that already said something about how safe he felt being near them.  
  
The hallway where the entrance was, was lighter than many parts of the castle. The paintings here were of many different things, but all of them were sickeningly sweet. Like that baby unicorn or the always sunny scenery painting. Everything just reeked of the sense of comfort and trust.  
  
On their door was carved an angel or something. It could've been a fairy and Draco was sure they had flowers and 'stuff' inside too. Probably it was lucky that his mate wasn't one of them. He was very sure of that. There was no sign here of the scent he was after.  
  
'Good. No matter if some of them are good for snogging, but the romance and starlight that always has to be there.. is just irritating.' And the loyal, sweet, romantic Hufflepuffs always carried their hearts on their sleeves so openly. They were hurt far too easily. Draco knew it well.  
  
He was on his way to the Ravenclaw tower when something stopped him. Actually, he felt like he'd slammed into a wall. He was stunned by the intensity of it. The same familiar sweet scent was there. Lingering in the air lightly, calling to him. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, enjoying.  
  
Then he rushed to the left. There was a long corridor but he knew that the scent was coming from there. His heart beat rang in his ears while he was running. He didn't care if the few paintings looked oddly at him. He didn't care if anyone heard his steps, because the next corner was, right there.   
  
He slowed down after turning and felt like he was in heaven. He was drunk by the air he breathed and he was so damned happy. He had never felt that way before. It was like his heart was going to burst. He was happy because his mate was here. The scent was so strong that he could almost touch it and it would lead him to his goal and then everything would be all right again. He would be whole. They would be whole.  
  
The air near him moved and pushed him out of his thoughts and to his horror, Draco realised that he didn't actually see any one.  
  
'This is impossible..' He blanched. There was no way he would feel this without his mate being just right there, but there was no one. Only the empty hallway and shadows flickering around.  
  
'Where? ..WHERE?!'   
  
It was awful to feel it so close and still his brains said that nothing was there. He searched and looked around but couldn't find it. There was nothing but the air that was wrapped around him and the scent got caught in his throat making his eyes sting.  
  
'Oh god.'  
  
He had never hurt this much. The fall into this agony from the bliss he had just been, had been a long one. The longing to have his mate, to wrap his arms around protectively, to have his someone there. A sob escaped from his lips and there was a new kind of pain in his chest. He didn't know what to do. He was lost again.  
  
After a while, he didn't know the time, the scent finally wavered. It mixed in the air and started to fade away. Draco wanted to take back every evil thought about it, just if he would be able to keep something from it besides a mere memory. Of course, it didn't work that way and he dropped to his knees.  
  
He understood now some things that full Veela's did. Like changed into a monsters in order to let out their anger and frustration. Draco felt like something or someone had just taken his mate away and he didn't have any way to help this situation. Raging felt like a bloody good choice.   
  
Then, very slowly, his other sides kicked in. His stupid brains, those ones that couldn't figure all this out, were reminding him that he wasn't an actual Veela, but what did they know. Nevertheless his breathing became steady once more and his hands finally stopped shaking. A thing he didn't even realise they'd been doing. Draco looked ahead and the stone wall was looking simply fascinating. It was like he was looking at it for the very first time. Things started to pick up around him and finally jump in to real time. Somehow he finally got himself up and leaned to the wall, closing his eyes.  
  
He breathed deeply and turned determinably to walk back where he had came from. There were still two more houses to check and blast him, but he was going to find out how his mate did that.. and what his mate was. And he was finally going to have his mate. He decided to stop by the Gryffindors next as they were supposed to be closer.  
  
When he was near the right corridor he started to think where the entrance was. 'Now if only I'd remember where..' But when he arrived in the right corridor, he didn't have to search for the fat lady's painting anymore. He knew. He had found what he'd been looking for. The scent was here.  
  
'I wasn't serious when I said my mate being one of them.' But it was true that this would limit his search on to one house only. And if his mate was a Gryffindor, no one would say a bad word about them anymore, especially if his mate was bothered by it. 


	5. Detention Mr Potter

Disclaimer: None of it is mine. I only borrow them for a while and I'm not earning a cent. Frizzy writes marvellous fanfiction describing Draco as a veela. (Rowling: Harry Potter books 1 to 5, Frizzy: Magnetic Attraction)  
  
Summary: DM/HP During the summer, before their last year in school starts, Draco Malfoy's Veela heritage is awoken. He's searching his mate and that leads him to one of the most unsuspected target. A hard and difficult one too.   
  
Betaed by Ahlia to whom I owe so much.  
  
**************The veela allurement*************  
  
Ch5. Detention Mr. Potter  
  
He hadn't gotten much sleep but it didn't matter. He had stayed outside late, enjoying himself. Some might find it odd that he was loitering outside the Gryffindor common room but it didn't bother him and besides, no one had even seen it. Still, in the morning only after few hours of sleep, he had been the first to get up and head for breakfast and he would be the last to leave too.  
  
Draco waited at the door, letting others get in only by walking besides him. It proved to be somewhat funny. They all walked pass him and then suddenly halted few feet after, turned and stared. After that they had different reactions. Some blushed, looking embarrassed or just looked away quickly and unsteadily continued to their tables. Some were confused, mostly Gryffindors and some Ravenclaws. Slytherins tended to walk back, especially those fourth year girls who seemed to have a tendency to get what they wanted, immediately. Luckily for Draco, the seventh year girls did it even better and as Pansy showed up.. well, the younger ones left him alone. He had never really known exactly how scary she could be.  
  
Draco had checked the Gryffindor first and second years. He hadn't sensed a thing when they walked by. Some of them used a little too potent perfumes but other wise his mate wasn't one of them. Now third and fourth years were coming in but not in groups as the younger ones had. That just made it a little harder to keep track.  
  
But if all else failed, he could just make a list of the rest of them and just check them one by one. Though that would take time. Which Draco had but didn't want to use and actually he wasn't so sure if he had it. His brains were telling him that he had but to rely on them after the few couple of days was somewhat dubious.  
  
When it started to look suspicious him just standing there, Draco headed for his seat. Just when he was passing the doorway, he ran into someone, or rather someone ran into him. One look and Draco had a scathing mark on his tongue ready.  
  
"Well, well, well. I'd expect you to know at least how to walk by now Granger. You must've gotten that badge on your chest with some other talents." Draco measured her up and she blushed lightly. Hermione was just about to answer when Draco continued, "or maybe that was just why you walked on me. Sorry but I'm not interested."  
  
Draco sneered and was going to walk away with housepoints still intact but then he noticed the red hair behind her. "You know you mud - oh, your kind just aren't my type." As usually this was the mark that made Weasley ready to rip his head off.  
  
"Why you... you... bloody little ferret!!" The red haired and equally red faced Weasel was heading straight to Draco and Granger was trying to hold him back.   
  
"Not keeping your own house in line Granger... maybe some points off would make them behave?"  
  
"Shut up Malfoy! You started it. Go and sit down in your place and fill that mouth of yours with something else besides empty brainless talk." That comment made Draco stay just for a while longer. He would show that mudblood, but in a way that she couldn't punish him. Besides, she was right, it could be fun to try something different.  
  
"Isn't that boring little line getting a little old already, Weasel." Draco moved closer to the redhead, smiling a little. Never letting his eyes leave his. The other was suddenly standing shockingly still.   
  
'I could really get used to this.' Draco mused as he lifted his hand as to touch the others boys jawline purring softly.  
  
"We're not wanting to repeat ourselves now would we? It would take all the fun out of ...things." The Weasel was slightly trembling and to anyone further away it could seem that he was doing it out of rage but he, Weasel and the mudblood knew better.  
  
'Wonder what she'll do. Think that her shabby little boyfriend is into men as well? That would be a fun conversation to hear.'  
  
The other boy shut his eyes not being able to resist and Draco drew his hand away just before it touched and cheerily stated, "as fun as this was once more, I think I'm heading for breakfast now." And elegantly as always he turned and left.  
  
Weasel was still somewhat dazed when Draco got to his seat. His house's upper years had been carefully watching and were now laughing their heads off, while Granger was trying to get some sense back into her boyfriends head. The blush told Draco exactly when she achieved it and Weasel stamped on the Gryffindor table, again shaking, but really out of fury this time.  
  
'It would've been fun to play with them for a while longer' But Draco had smelled his mate scent on them once more. If his mate was... close to them, it wouldn't do to make outrageously fun out of them.   
  
More Gryffindors arrived slowly and then, when the breakfast time was nearly out, the rest of their house suddenly rushed in at once. Draco couldn't keep count anymore and as soon as they had come, they were off.  
  
'Bloody Locusts...' He walked off from the hall cursing silently and highly irritated. Finally, during his ancient runes class, Draco made the list of all of them that he had missed at breakfast.   
  
As this was their last year, they only continued in their chosen subjects. Draco was extremely happy that those classes that before had been mandatory, like the care of the magical creatures for instance, were not anymore. That had been the most repelling course he had had. Even though it was sometimes fun to tease the Gryffindors. Then he had also dropped history and herbology. It had been good to have herbology on the side because he was now having advanced potions but it just didn't fit in his schedule anymore. Astronomy was also out.  
  
Defence, transfiguration and charms were still mandatory because they were highly common in use. He only had few hours of the last two of them but defence against dark arts hours had been lifted again, to count to total eight hours per week. Draco had also kept his arithmancy lessons. Those were really too enjoyable to let go.   
  
The other useless subjects like divination or muggle studies, he found quite repulsive and luckily he had let the first one drop after his third year and thank Merlin he never had had the latter one. A total waste of time.  
  
All in all, that only meant that he didn't share many lessons with Gryffindors. Most groups, advanced potions, arithmancy and ancient runes were small and had all the houses together, but they had defence with Ravenclaws, charms with Hufflepuffs and only transfigurations with Gryffindors. Potions varied as it was his main subject and this was the NEWT year.  
  
Draco didn't sense his mate during the runes. So he crossed over few others from the list, just like Granger who still was avoiding even looking at him. But it remained too long and Draco started to think other means to achieve his way.  
  
He could offer to assist Severus with few potions classes that had Gryffindors. Draco even thought of brewing an invisibility potion to get into the Gryffindor common room or just to follow them unnoticed. Unfortunately it took a fortnight to prepare the ingredients so while he started with it, in his potions, last hours that day, he also later wrote to his father to inquire if he had any ready.  
  
He could ask anything from his parents now that it was for his mate. Draco suspected that asking even for a million galleons, with few explanations, could go through. Then he remembered that there were a lot of Gryffindors involved and dropped the sum at half a million in his thoughts.  
  
**  
  
Draco was nearly late for the first prefects meeting as his dinner drew long. And he got only few Gryffindors crossed over again and just why didn't anyone seem to eat normally anymore. He rushed in the meeting room just before McGonagall closed the door.  
  
"Nice for you to join us Mr. Malfoy." She said when Draco rushed to have a seat. Though her voice didn't have the edge it usually did. Everyone's eyes were lingering on him in the pretence that they just had to look at the late comer. The head girl was arranging some papers and they got the meeting on the way.  
  
New prefects were introduced. Slytherin had montague's (a boy who had left last year) sister and a boy called Guilford Oldsand as prefects.   
  
"Who's the new head boy? I don't see any." Terry Boot, an annoying 7th year Ravenclaw pointed out. It made McGonagall to cough and interrupt Granger.  
  
"I have, Mr. Boot, the privilege to have both the head girl and the head boy in my house this year. Ms. Granger and Mr. Potter are handling the positions." Boot looked something like aching to angry but covered it soon.   
  
He couldn't help but to add though, "Where is he then? I'd expect a head boy to be present in these meetings if in nothing else." Boot seemed to be really disappointed of loosing the head boy badge but he had went a little too far.  
  
"Mr. Boot, I assure you that that is not a concern, especially yours. You shouldn't talk about things you know nothing about." McGonagall gave him a stern glance. "Mr. Potter is handling other matters as we speak and we'd better to go on with this now," she waved Granger to continue. "Or we'll be here all night."  
  
Draco felt like slouching in his seat by the news. Potter as a head boy. 'It shouldn't suprise me. Of course, it is clear.' The golden boy, perfect Potter. The one who always slipped away and nothing stayed on him. No evil rumour, no plot, the boy who couldn't be killed. The 'hero'. It was so sugary that he felt sick with such thoughts coursing through his brain.   
  
'We others didn't even have a chance.' He finally realised that even though if Potter was the lousiest student in every class, he still would've been made the head boy.  
  
Granger wrapped the meeting up in 20 minutes and they were off. At least she was efficient. Draco wanted to have a chat with Severus. He had just realised that no one still knew that he was a veela. Why hadn't the headmaster announced it already and they had even been making the counter potion to Veela's attraction today. Though the first thing he had to do was to loose some Slytherins from his tail.  
  
**  
  
Harry was making his way to the headmasters office. He had tried to figure out what he wanted but had given up a while ago. He would know soon enough and he was exhausted by this day already. He really should've read something about what head boys had to do. Then he wouldn't be this tired or at least wouldn't be suprised by it.  
  
Hermione had asked him to cover all their other duties, besides the meeting, today. She had her day full with her studies and figuring out her schedule for this year. Apparently she couldn't fit three demanded defence against dark art lessons in and had tried to solve it with their new teacher.   
  
New defence teacher was an old little man that Harry had never heard or seen before. Mr. Rodolph Greystone was a warlock type man, who slightly reminded him of 'Mad-Eye' Moody, with plenty of experience concerning the past wizarding wars and, it seemed that they were going to have a tiring year. The students syllabuses showed advanced dark curses and hexes and he had scheduled out a promising introduction in the training of an auror .   
  
Harry only hoped headmaster knew him well enough so that he wouldn't be revealed as some mad man or Voldemort's slave by the end of the year.  
  
Suddenly he was at the gargoyle and looked at it smiling. That was before he realised that he didn't have the password yet.  
  
"Lemon drops... " That was always good to start with. Harry wished he would have Hermione's list with him. She had made it just for this sort of occasion and it listed a page full of muggle and wizarding candies.  
  
"Trickle pops, rose fudge, chocolate frogs, sherbet lemon, vanilla whizbees..." This was hopeless but he had always managed this somehow. After some thought Harry finally said, "Red stripes!" and the gargoyle jumped aside. Harry couldn't believe that the headmaster had offered his password candies at the feast last nigh. Ron had been very specific what there had been.   
  
Harry let the stairs to brought him in front of a familiar door. He was just about to knock when he heard someone say, "Come in Harry."   
  
Everything in the office was just like he remembered before. The big odd looking table in the corner, sleeping portraits and Fawkes perched by the window.   
  
"Good evening, headmaster." Harry nodded before sitting down in the chair in front of Dumbledore's desk. The old man was looking him over his spectacles and smiling.   
  
"You too, Harry. You too. Tea?" Harry nodded. "Now, tell me how is our new head boy?" Dumbledore waved his hand and the tea trade appeared.  
  
"Very well, sir." Harry smiled and took the offered tea cup. It was odd being here and just sitting like this. Usually he had some earth shattering problem before he got here.  
  
"And your summer?" Dumbledore carefully poured tea for himself and added an excessive amount of honey in, then leaned back and started to stir it with a spoon.  
  
"It went well too sir. I'm glad to be back even though this is the last year." Dumbledore only nodded and looked at him a little longer. Harry realised that it wasn't actually a question, only a hint to tell about something else. "I didn't have many outburst and managed to keep them in my room. Luckily it seems to start to go away, finally, sir. Didn't get to practise much though." Dumbledore smiled at him and the twinkle went up a notch.  
  
"I'm glad to hear that Harry. I didn't hear from you much this summer so I assume you have had restful nights?" Harry nodded.   
  
He had had few visions or rather nightmares, but after all these years, he had finally started to have some sort of control over them. Thanks to his occlumency and concentration lessons. He wouldn't tell the headmaster why he couldn't contact anyone during this summer at all. Sirius and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley would surely learn about it too.  
  
"I haven't seen you at the great hall yet. I trust you have still eaten well?" Dumbledore offered him a plate of sandwiches while saying so. Harry gratefully took few. He was hungry. It was just like the headmaster to notice that. Then he noticed the look he gave him and blushed a little. He had visited kitchen few times already and of course the older man knew it.  
  
"Actually I asked you to come and see me about your extra lessons this year." Dumbledore was sipping his tea. "You can talk with Minerva about your animagus lessons if they are still needed. I'm glad to hear that your magic is finally settling down. The other lessons could be taken better then. There's no use to stop them now. I'll organise them for you by the end of the next week, Harry."   
  
It seemed that this conversation was over but just when Harry got up, Dumbledore added, "You'll be having a.. partner in them this year. Might make things more interesting."  
  
Harry halted. "Some other student?"  
  
"Yes. Though the reason isn't exactly the same as yours. Now remember to drop by when ever you need. I offer all my experience for my head boy and girl to use. And I believe we'll see professor Lupin and his dog coming our way in a few weeks." Dumbledore smiled and Harry wanted to jump. He would see Sirius soon. He was so exited that he nearly tripped over the chair on his way out.  
  
***  
  
"Mione! It's just WRONG.. I'm not like that. He is up to something. I told you so last night, didn't I?" Ron's highly irritated voice pushed against Harry as he stepped into Hermione's rooms. His friends hadn't been at the Gryffindor tower, so he had come here. Ron was walking around and waving his hands. They were having one of their rows again.  
  
"Ron it's not like I don't approve but you're my boyfriend and I wish to know..."  
  
"MIONE! How... how can you say that?! I am not like that. Didn't I just say it? Yes, you're my GIRLfriend ." Ron, while looking horrified, made sure to emphasise the 'girl' part. Whatever the argument was about Harry was sure, that it had caused quite an uproar out of his best friend. When they finally noticed that he was there, Harry raised his eyebrow at them questioningly.   
  
"Look. Harry doesn't have that sort of effect on me and he's a boy." Ron was now waving his hands frantically at his way as if that would help get his point across.   
  
"I sure hope that I am, Ron." Harry interrupted, "So would you want to enlighten me?" He couldn't help but smile. This didn't sound as one of their usual rows.  
  
"It's... It's... AARGH! I can't believe I did that." Ron grabbed his own hairs and drew out a bunch of them. "You're going to freak out Harry. I'm so sorry. I don't want to scare you but...," he faltered, "Even I don't understand!" Ron continued his walking but finally he stood still and turned to Harry, looking miserable, "I turned into jelly in front of ...Malfoy!" The last word was spat out.   
  
Harry could only stare. He wasn't sure if he had he gotten it right. "Y... you... what?"  
  
"I totally goggled at him! I understand if you want a little space around me Harry. I don't get this either. But when he looked at me at dinner... I just... I nearly let him touch me. It was like... I couldn't resist." Ron was looking lost. "I CAN'T TAKE THIS!" He wailed and sank to sit in the blue armchair across the way. Hermione padded his arm, looking at Harry asking for help.  
  
Harry couldn't believe Ron was actually considering this. He would've laughed if the episode hadn't been this serious to him. Ron was the most ungayish guy he knew; totally into women, and was now, in heaven when he finally got Hermione. So Harry walked to sit on the armrest of the chair and slumped down. Ron's head nearly hit him when it was suddenly popped up.  
  
"Ron... you're not gay. Really, you hate Malfoy." The statement left a flicker of hope in the red heads eyes. "What ever it was, it isn't that sort of attraction." He padded Ron too, while his friend was looking at him disbelieving.  
  
"Can't you see. The hell would be freezing over by now if that had happened between you and Malfoy. If you liked... boys as well. Don't you think you'd felt it with me or some else by now? You wouldn't start on Malfoy."  
  
Ron was thinking hard about what Harry had said and after a while something seemed to make sense to him. "You're right! This is just that blond git. It has something to do with only him." Then Ron got an epiphany. "I KNOW! That ferret is using some sort of love spell or potion. I bet on it. Some stupid experience to have fun with us or something."  
  
"Ron I don't think..." Hermione haltered when Ron glared at her but continued in a more firm voice. "What I meant was that it is something like that but it also could be something else besides a spell or a potion." She finished, looking little put out by the treatment she had received.  
  
"Everyone seems to be effected by it in the hall. I noticed it in the meeting too..." She didn't get further when Ron started panicking.  
  
"Mione! You... you like Malfoy like that!" Ron gulped. "I mean... I understand it somehow. He is rich and... good looking... Oh Merlin. I didn't just say that."  
  
"RON WEASLEY! It's not that. It's just like what you have on him. I don't like him at all. He's an arrogant spoiled snob. I didn't say anything about it before because you'd just have freaked out. We have to figure out what it is though." She turned and walked to her bookshelf and started taking out books. Ron was looking relieved but frowned like he always did when Hermione got into her books.  
  
"This is the first day Mione! Can't we do it a little later?" Hermione just gave him one of her looks.  
  
"I haven't got the time later, Ron. But it's probably going to take some time so you can help me later." She added more gently.  
  
"Oh," Ron was very articulate as always. "What do you say Harry. A game of chess or exploding snap?" He grinned at Harry.  
  
"I can't. Not now." When Ron was opening his mouth to ask if Harry was going to read too. He hastily added. "I really need to write to snuffles. Dumbledore said they might be coming soon."  
  
"What am I supposed to do then?" Ron was whining again.  
  
"Well, you could go and fetch my birthday presents. Aren't they still in your trunk? We could open them." Harry winked at him.  
  
"I can't believe I forgot" Ron got up in a flash and jumped outside. They only heard his running steps.  
  
"What did Dumbledore want with you by the way?" Hermione was now asking and had lifted her head from one of the books.  
  
"Nothing much. He asked about if I had any visions lately and has my magic steadied. Then he told me to discuss with McGonagall if I need more lessons in transfiguration and that he would organise my 'special' classes to be taught in few weeks." Hermione and Ron were among the select few who knew about his wandless magic lessons. He had started them since last year when his magic had started to mature oddly.  
  
Hermione and Ron had already gone through their change and it wasn't anything what Harry had. His magic had these outburst that effected everything in a range. The first burst had gotten him into a hospital wing last Christmas as it had nearly drained him when it spread all over the castle. Since then he had managed to control it somewhat and finally, this summer, he had been able to diminish them totally. It had also opened something inside him. Harry felt the magic differently. He would need to talk about it with his teacher.  
  
"I'll be having a partner there." He added finally.  
  
"Some one else?" Hermione had the same reaction he had had in the headmasters office and Harry nodded.   
  
"Dumbledore didn't say who, only that the problem isn't exactly the same what I have but close enough." That sentence swept Hermione into her thoughts and Harry just waved his hand to her before leaving to his rooms.  
  
**  
  
Harry had hastily read Hagrid's letter before this morning classes in care of magical creatures. The giant had hugged him tightly when he had arrived. He'd been worried but during the lessons Harry had managed to convince him that nothing was amiss. They had been making a place to live for the new creatures that were coming. Hagrid had been very silent about them. He had only said that they, the 7th years, would be tending them as they were quite rare and restless creatures. That, of course, put all their stomachs in a knot. Hagrid thinking that something was restless meant horror and painful death to them all. Luckily, Ron was sharing those classes with him.  
  
Tomorrow Harry would only see his friends on their first classes. After that he would be having advanced transfigurations and novice runes. Ron would be in his astronomy and then meet up with Hermione in the advanced charms after her arithmancy. They were all concentrating on different subjects but still had some together. Arranging the schedules had been a nightmare but luckily Harry didn't have any divination or history anymore. Neither did Ron.  
  
Harry had just finished reading Sirius letters. The two of them. The first was just common things telling him that he and Moony had been south during summer, seeing something for Dumbledore. They still didn't fill him in, though Harry knew many things that went on in the order of the phoenix, mainly because of his visions. He suspected that they didn't want to worry him.   
  
The second letter was shorter and much more concerned as Harry hadn't replied to the first one. Sirius was hinting there that they were heading back and wanted to come and check on him. Luckily they hadn't managed to do that while he was still at the Dursleys. It wouldn't have been good on Sirius' blood pressure to see him at the time. Harry grabbed a quill to write a thorough letter back when he heard Ron on the outside, "Harry! Let me in. These fairies are making faces at me!"  
  
They laid the packages on the couch. He had five as usual. One from Hermione, another one from Ron. Mrs. Weasley and Hagrid both always gave him one present and Sirius and Remus had sent one together.   
  
Ron was scratching his palm. "Open them already Harry!"  
  
Harry took the one from Hermione first. It felt like a book. "I didn't expect anymore from her. She already gave me the shirt in the beginning of the summer." Harry looked at Ron who shrugged.  
  
"I think she found this when we went to Diagon alley this year." Harry unwrapped it and it was a book.   
  
"'Wandless way to impossibility: Is there a way without.'" He read its title, "where an earth did she dig this up?" Harry turned the book in his hands. He had found scarcely little information about developing wandless magic.  
  
The next present was from Ron. Half a dozen chocolate frogs and fillings for his broom kit. Perfect, he was nearly out. Mrs. Weasley had sent some fudge as she usually did and Hagrid hadn't baked anything but he gave him his own crossbow and few arrows for it.   
  
When Harry got to Sirius and Remus present, Ron was agitated. "Open it. You don't know what pains I've got to pay for keeping it untouched... by myself." Harry laughed. The present was in a really small box.   
  
"I wonder what it is. You hope it's like last year when they gave me their new patented marauder joke in writing." Harry and Ron had tried it on the twins and Ron had been in ecstasy as it worked out perfectly. They spent a week changing colour like a chameleon.  
  
Harry finally opened the box and saw a small silver pendant there. He opened the pendant and stared. There were a small painting of his mother on the other side and his father on the other. They didn't move so it was muggle made but it was beautiful. There was also a short note.  
  
Happy birthday Harry!  
  
We had this made on a muggle jewellery out of the pictures we had. Hope you like it.  
  
There are also several charms placed on it. Keep it close Harry!  
  
Padfoot & Moony  
  
Ps. We're trying to head back to England. Hope to see you soon.  
  
"Wow Harry. That's really nice. I wonder what charms they had put on it. If it has something that repels evil twin brothers, I want one too." Ron smirked.  
  
"We get to know soon. Though Dumbledore wasn't sure when they would be coming exactly."  
  
"That's great!" Ron paused a bit. "How angry do you think they are when they didn't hear from you for the whole summer? What are you going to tell to Snuffles?" Harry sighed.   
  
"I don't know Ron. I was even thinking of writing them like I was still at the Dursleys so that they couldn't say I didn't. You know how it takes owls for few days to find them and deliver the letter." Ron eyed him warily and Harry waved his arm. "I know, I know. It is doomed even to try it. The best is that I write them now. I was thinking of doing it yesterday but I was too tired."  
  
"I'll let you to it then and go check on Mione." Ron stood up and left. Harry could still hear him mumble under his breath, "I sure hope it's just Malfoy who is the problem."   
  
When Harry got the letter ready it was nearly midnight. He had had several drafts but he had to be careful with those two. Sirius especially had become highly protective over him after the whole Azkaban episode last year. Finally Harry was satisfied with the long letter telling about his summer, how he hadn't got nearly any visions or anything. About being a headboy and other normal stuff and finally he thanked them for the gift and forwarded Ron's wish to know more about the charms on it.  
  
He grabbed a chocolate frog, that he had received from Ron, and left to the owlery. Once there Hedwig took the letter gladly and snipped his fingers joyously while he tied the letter. Harry watched long after her, hoping that Sirius and Remus were all right. Then he turned and left to his rooms. He had gotten too little sleep earlier and his arm was still slightly sore.  
  
Absentmindedly he opened the frog box while walking ahead. The moon was nearly full and Remus would be transforming soon. Suddenly he jumped. The candy box in his hand was bouncing up and down. Harry had never seen one act like that. The frogs jumped once and only after the box was opened.  
  
Carefully Harry opened the box and then dropped it on the floor when something white flashed on his hands. A small white mouse was frantically running away from him. Harry took after it puzzled.  
  
'Is this one of Ron's jokes?' He tried to catch the mouse but it always slipped away. 'Maybe I should try out my animagus form. Cat is always a cat no matter the size' A second later he had abandoned the thought.   
  
Actually Harry didn't even know why he was chasing the mouse. Thinking that and slowing down he ran around the corner and suddenly ran straight into something rather painfully. His face sunk into something soft and as he fell, he heard a crash. The floor under him wasn't made of cold stones but rather of soft fabric.  
  
Harry heard someone curse under him and realised that he had run into someone rather than something. If the voice was as familiar as it sounded, he would also be in big trouble now.  
  
"Get off me you blind brat! Off me this second!" Harry groaned when he stumbled to his feet. It was professor Snape.  
  
"Sorry professor, didn't see you." The man was getting up as well and Harry could see his eyes glittering and getting into slits blazing at him.   
  
"Potter! Should have known. No one else could be so clumsy or running in the corridors in the middle of the night, no less." Snape just hissed at him while picking up glass pieces from the ground. Harry went to help him since apparently he had broken something, like it wasn't enough to just run Snape down to get the man blow up at him.   
  
"Hands of them boy! You've cost me a week's job and here I though the Longbottom was the inept one of you." Harry just stood there waiting while Snape collected some important pieces, then he got up and waved his wand over the mess and it was gone. Harry thought of bolting from there but it wouldn't help on the longer run.  
  
A muscle twitched on Snape's eye corner when he got up but his voice was ever so silky when he said. "You're proving me right once more, Potter. Still disregarding the rules, think that they are only for us commoners?"   
  
Harry was glaring at him. "I'm the head boy on a patrolling trip. How is that wrong?"   
  
Snape leaned a little forward, coming to a halt few inches from Harry's face. "Trying to show off at pretending to be responsible, are we. Just like your father making excuses to cover your precious faults, not wishing to taint your crystalline image, Potter?" He hissed silently then leaned back and looked around.  
  
"I wonder what have made our little celebrity to run around in the corridors in the first place." Harry was just staring ahead. He would never tell him what he was chasing after. Snape would never let it live down.  
  
"Arrogant as always, Potter. Just waste of space." Snape sounded impassive but had a slight sneer on. The glare became more intense. "Detention on Friday in the dungeons for running recklessly around and ruining professors' potion ingredients, while on the topic. I expect to see you eight thirty, sharp."  
  
"But professor.." Harry was going to suggest a different evening as they had preliminary quidditch practises then but Snape interrupted him.  
  
"You're the head boy." His black eyes were starting have a little more than the usual malice in them. "I assume you don't want to loose points from your house while trying to wiggle your way out of your punishment."   
  
Harry abruptly snapped his mouth shut. There was no way with Snape like this. The man nodded and swished away with billowing robes, obsidian eyes glittering with mirth. 


	6. My Harry

Disclaimer: None of it is mine. I only borrow them for a while and I'm not earning a cent. Frizzy writes marvellous fanfiction describing Draco as a veela. (Rowling: Harry Potter books 1 to 5, Frizzy: Veela attraction)  
  
Summary: DM/HP During the summer, before their last year in school starts, Draco Malfoy's Veela heritage is awoken. He's searching his mate and that leads him to the most unsuspected target. A hard and difficult one too.   
  
************ The veela allurement ************  
  
Ch6. My Harry  
  
It was Thursday night and Draco was close to becoming crazy. Finding his mate in this single school, in one house wasn't supposed to be this impossible. But it was. He had cleared the Gryffindor third and fourth years while he was assisting in a potion class but the elder ones in that house were slipperier than some Slytherins he knew. He had started to wish his mate was a Hufflepuff after all.  
  
Once again he was heading to have tea with Severus. It had a calming effect on him and restored some of his trust on his own mind. It was hard to keep it together when he knew where his mate was and the scent was constantly teasing him.  
  
"Hello Draco." Severus let the door open for him and went back to his chair beside the fireplace. He had been reading a book. "Tea?" Draco only nodded. This had come too familiar to him by now. He sighed and rubbed his eyes.   
  
"No mentioned progress today. I didn't figure them being this evasive."  
  
"Maybe you should just fake an emergency situation on school grounds. All the Gryffindors would be there in a second if you just said it was something life threateningly dangerous." The scathing tone didn't escape Draco but he was too emerged in actually thinking about the suggestion to correct it.  
  
It had irritated Severus to no end when Draco corrected his mentions on Gryffindors, in the pretext that his mate wouldn't appreciate it. Now that nothing came, he glanced up.  
  
"Draco you won't of course do no such thing. Even if it wouldn't bite you back, you wouldn't get what you wanted. Most of them would be herded back to the tower and only prefects would stay." Draco hunched back in his chair.  
  
"Did you get a chance to ask the headmaster?" He finally asked.  
  
"I did." Severus admitted and calmly poured tea into their cups.   
  
"And?" Draco suggested him to go on.   
  
"And he thought this might prove to be easier for you. Next Monday, when the potion is ready for everyone, he will announce at dinner that you are a Veela." Severus thought that to be only one of the reasons. The old man simply enjoyed the hilarity of the situation.   
  
Draco drew a deep breath. "I swear there's something odd going among them Severus. They suspect something or are up to something and it involves me. They all watch me like a hawk when I do my potion or handle anything that even reminds a vial." Draco had been puzzled about that. Every Gryffindor above fifth year had been doing so and they weren't watching him because he was a veela.  
  
"So you've noticed." Severus looked amused. "They think you're making a love potion."  
  
"What? Who idiot got that into their head?" Draco was frowning. Those kind of rumours would effect his mate too.  
  
"I don't really know but one of them must have thought that to be the secret of your effect. Be glad that the counter potion is hard to make or you would need to check anything you eat or drink for it." Severus was looking at the fire and got more focused.  
  
"Draco they are Gryffindors. I need to warn you about this. They aren't only foolhardy but also foolishly loyal to each others. Maybe even more than the Hufflepuffs. That makes them dangerous because they don't think before they act and all those supposedly good sides they are said to have, don't disclose more unwelcome character sides."  
  
Draco looked at him closely back. "I know that. I haven't forgotten all these years with them. How many times that wonder trio attacked me when I was younger or all the times we had something little planned on them and they somehow managed to turn it back on us, only with much more unhappy effects. Or all the other things that have happened, but my mate is one of them." The silvery young man was looking so sad and different in front of him that Severus once again found himself speechless.   
  
There were many more sides in this that he had even thought of. Draco was a Slytherin from inside out and this could mean he had to rip himself apart. How could he make a stubborn Gryffindor to understand anything what it was to be a Slytherin. There was no way out besides his mate being someone decent and even remotely intelligent.   
  
"I haven't told, even you, all the things I've done this week. Even though I'm a Slytherin, my ideas are running out when I have to keep it so tightly unnoticed. Pansy has helped me some as she got over this mate thing. She even suggested that we'd simply locked the Gryffindor years I need to check in their classrooms and I could play the hero, free them and be able to check on them while they would line out."   
  
Suddenly Severus laughed. "I guess it didn't work, especially on charms class." Draco looked up questioningly.   
  
"Don't be suprised. Filius was just wondering if there was something going on with castle locks. If I had known it was you, I could've had a very entertaining afternoon but as it was, we had to check that something like that hadn't happened elsewhere and that no one was left locked in anywhere." Draco grinned and Severus was glad to see him finally do that.  
  
"I trust the slytherins haven't told anyone?"  
  
"Of course not. All in the house know and they are just simply trying to figure out how to take my mates place. I haven't informed them about my mate being a Gryffindor yet."  
  
"It doesn't necessarily form a problem you know. It all depends on who your mate is. How is your list going? I doubt you'll be needing that potion when you get it ready." Severus sipped his tea enjoying the smooth taste.  
  
"They are evasive lot and I have about twenty names still to go." Severus looked suprised by that.  
  
"That many. Didn't you have transfiguration with them today?" It was Draco's turn to taste his tea silently.   
  
"They don't all have it with us and out of the seven, four were absent. Something to do with that big oafs animals." Severus had heard about Hagrid's newest pets and were dead against allowing them into the school grounds but apparently those beasts were necessary for the newts group. Anyway he might get some ingredients out of them.  
  
He changed the subject. "I invited your father here tomorrow. Have you told him already?" Draco nodded. The letter he got back wasn't especially filling him with hope but his parents understood the situation.  
  
"Come around at eight or little after. I'm sure we figure something out. If it goes to that we can always put the Gryffindors in line on Monday and have you finally inspect them all out." Severus tried to make him see that this would all work out soon. 'Then I might finally have my godson back to normal again.' He looked at the young man in front of him. He hadn't even mentioned to Draco the dark lord's effect on this all. He didn't know whether Draco had thought it or not. It would complicate things as Lucius would be involved.  
  
**  
  
"Bye then Hagrid, see you on the weekend!" Harry waved as he walked, from his evening classes of the care of the magical creatures, towards the castle. He noticed someone was running from there. On closer he realised that there was a lot of bushy hair jumping up and down. Soon Hermione was standing in front of him, trying to calm her breath. Then she looked around and her face wrangled.  
  
"He's not here." A statement. "Where's Ron, Harry. I heard that.."  
  
"Calm down Hermione. Ron's still in the infirmary with Seamus and Dean. I'm just going there but they're all right." Hermione was looking relieved and they started towards the hospital wing, walking this time.  
  
Hagrid's new 'pets' had been three Graphorns. Big, vicious creatures with two, too sharp horns that they used skilfully. Luckily they weren't that fond of human flesh or the whole class would be eaten by now, five in the infirmary was enough.   
  
Graphorns were intriguing creatures and not only because they were so rare. They were somewhat the same size as centaurs and outside looked something between a yak and a big cat and they were amazingly agile and fast. Their grey fur with purple shading protected them from the cold climate they were used to live in. Mainly in the mountains of Europe.  
  
They had one horn on their forehead like unicorns did but the other was on their long, lizard like tail covered with shorted fur.. The first one was two feet long and they used it mainly for balance, during mating and climbing, occasionally fighting. The other one on the tail was shorter and if possible, sharper. Ron said he didn't even feel a thing before he noticed the blood on his arm. The tail was masterfully hidden by all the longer fur and it snapped out like a snake. Of course, Graphorns were also meat eaters and they didn't drink water but they ate snow.   
  
Hagrid had been in heaven. Talking constantly what an opportunity this was. It didn't make the creatures any less dangerous that they were extremely hard to control with magic. Under the fur and plainly to see on their face, was dark hide, more thicker than even the dragons had and just like theirs, it effectively repelled spells.  
  
Harry wasn't in the hospital wing only because he had been too slow. Too slow to get in the area where the creatures were restricted to. There were nine students in their class, that made three per creature. Harry had sided up with two Ravenclaws while Ron, Dean and Seamus had formed another group. He had waited his partners in this to gather the courage up while the other Gryffindors were already there. The Graphorn had attacked immediately. It knocked Seamus out, pierced Ron's arm and Dean got a huge slash on his leg.   
  
When they arrived in the infirmary, Hermione broke into run. "RON! Are you all right?" Ron and Dean were sitting on one bed talking animatedly while Seamus was still resting.  
  
"Mione, I'm okay. Did you see them? They were huge and we got there first." Ron and Dean had apparently been comparing notes on the creatures and developed some sort of hero complex. This made Hermione saw red.  
  
"I can't believe you. You could've been killed. WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!" Then she added as an afterthought, "Just wait until your mother hears about this." She crossed her arms. Ron had paled and Dean was looking at the wall seemingly fascinated about its.. whiteness.  
  
"I thought you were supposed to be helping Hagrid. Be the best for this job but guess what do I hear from Justin and Ernie after the first lesson?" Hermione glared at Ron. "That you foolishly just ran straight in there like some first years.. No, not even they would've been so stupid." Hermione nearly screamed.  
  
The noise alerted Madam Pomfrey to arrive. "What is going on in here. Ms. Granger?"  
  
"I'm sorry Madam Pomfrey. I was just telling my boyfriend how huge idiot he is." Harry was shaking with laughter by the look on Ron's face. Pomfrey just sniffled.  
  
"I'm glad someone's doing it, but would you mind doing it a little more quieter. And you got five minutes. The boys have to stay here tonight and they must rest. All kind of beasts.." Pomfrey muttered while she went to organise some potions on a tray.  
  
"Mione.. they aren't saying that to all, are they?." Ron gulped realising that if the two Hufflepuffs were doing just that, they would be a laughing stock by tomorrow morning. He looked miserable and Hermione's stern expression melted.  
  
"No, not exactly. You know how truthful they are.. and kind. They are only saying how you were brave enough to enter there first and how easily the gryphon beat you. Everyone's been talking how awful beasts they are and will stay as far away from them as possible. Which, in my mind, is a really good thing."   
  
Pomfrey came back carrying the tray. "Ms. Granger, Mr. Potter, you must be going now and here are your potions boys. Drink up." Harry and Hermione slipped away obediently while Pomfrey took care of the others.  
  
Next evening Harry was glaring daggers at Ron. His detention time was closing in and all the others were talking about their very first quidditch meeting coming that night and he would be scrubbing some cauldrons.  
  
"Honestly mate. I had no idea that one of the twins mice had slipped into my trunk." Ron was looking apologetic. Actually he had been apologising since the fateful evening Harry met the mouse. Ron was the captain of the team but they couldn't move the meeting time anymore.  
  
"I know. But I wouldn't put it past them to drop a few in there." Harry sighed. "At least I'm not missing any flying time." Ron nodded in agreement.  
  
"I'll tell you all that we decide for this season. You'll know most of it already anyway." Ron got more focused. "Have you got anyone in mind as a chaser, Harry. We need a new one now that Midgen left. Preferably someone younger as three open places next year is already enough." They talked about quidditch the rest of the time. Ron and the others left the common room at eight and Harry soon after them, feeling even more down. An evening with Snape. Perfect.  
  
**  
  
"How come he hasn't found it out already?" Lucius was stalking in front of Severus' fireplace, looking at the other from time to time.  
  
"You should remember how difficult they can be, Lucius." Severus drawled from his chair. "Sit down. Draco will be here soon."  
  
The blond man sat down and leaned back, closing his eyes. "This can form to be a really big problem."  
  
"I know" Severus looked at his long time friend little worried. Lucius had always known what he wanted and to serve the dark lord had been an obvious choice to him. But Severus also knew that the family came first to the Malfoys. Lucius wouldn't loose his son over this. Severus only hoped that that meant his friend would even switch sides because what ever happened, Draco would not become a death eater now. A Gryffindor mate would never look kindly on it and that meant that Draco, as a veela, wouldn't do it.   
  
Considering all options, even the most darkest one, killing Draco's mate was out of the question. They wouldn't know who it was before Draco did and after that it wasn't sure if Draco would survive. All sort dark magic, like imperius on the mate was far fetched also. Draco would know and if it ever would come to choose between the mate and them, Draco didn't even have two options.  
  
Severus and Lucius never discussed much about death eater related topics when they were together away from those business. Severus knew that Lucius probably assumed him being a spy but didn't know it for a fact. Before that happened, they wouldn't need to think about if Lucius should reveal that little detail to the dark lord. But now, that detail could rock the boat on either way for Lucius.  
  
"I thought I could disown him." Lucius suddenly said. "Not for real but it would take care of ..things. It seems logical solution but I don't know if Cissa can stand the separation and it would make Draco am open target." Severus hadn't seen him this troubled in a long time. Not even when the dark lord fell the last time. Then there was only one choice. Cover your back as well as you can. Now, all the choices they had, had serious issues and very likely bad outcomes.  
  
"It all depends on who it is." Severus was interrupted by a knock from the door. The one they had been talking about stepped in.  
  
"Hello father." Draco said while he pushed the door closed.  
  
"Draco. Your mother and I wish you're well?" Lucius was looking ever so normal now. Nothing hinted about the problems anymore though he frowned a little when he saw how worn out his son looked.  
  
"I'm fine father. Just got two more names crossed over on the list." Draco slouched to sit on the couch ungracefully. "This waiting is the one that's irritating me. Just marching in there starts to seem out like a good option." Lucius was looking a little suprised.  
  
"Patient is a virtue Draco."  
  
Draco looked up and was about to say something but decided otherwise. After a while of more thinking he said, "The scent is starting to make me crazy. It's all I have been able to concentrate on and it's everywhere. I don't understand why I haven't found my mate already. I've done the most ridiculous things.." Draco shifted a little when Severus levitated the tea tray on the table.  
  
"I can see this is taxing you, son. But you must remember that you don't achieve anything doing things half way."  
  
"Your father is right, Draco. You've behaved differently all this week." Severus added while pouring the tea.  
  
"Of course I have." Draco snapped. "Do you think I won't change after this. That I already haven't. I'm just as worried as you if not more." Draco sounded angry and eyed both the elder men. "I have always kept an eye out on the other houses." Draco shrugged but it was clear to them that of course he had done so. They were all Slytherins here and knowing your allies and enemies were important. "But only during this week I've actually started to realise what sets the Gryffindors apart besides 'the bravery'" Severus smiled at Draco. It was the first time this week he had heard him say anything slightly amusing, in his opinion, about them.  
  
"I didn't expect you to change, Draco" Lucius finally said. "Only to rearrange your priorities."  
  
"My mate is a Gryffindor, I am a Slytherin. How could I not to and I don't understand them. How could my mate understand me, accept me." Draco straightened his back in order to sit properly but only stared at the floor. Lucius looked at Severus raising his eyebrow questioningly. Draco had changed, a lot, only during this one week and the mate wasn't even directly involved yet.   
  
"This has just been a tough week." Severus looked pointedly back at Lucius while he shortly padded Draco's shoulder.  
  
Slowly the talk turned on to the other matters. Like to the three gryphons that now dwelled near the forest. Draco didn't even want to hear about them, less to see them. Lucius had learned about it last week from his contacts at the ministry. If he had been a governor still, those things would have stayed just were they were, far from here. And Severus didn't enjoy more having those kind of creatures here either, but mentioned that Dumbledore had, at least, put up extra security measures.  
  
At thirty three minutes past eight, there was a knock on the door. Both Malfoys glanced at Severus. "I'm not expecting.. " Then his face darkened and he got up, cursing. Walked to the door and pulled it open.  
  
"Didn't I say at eight thirty sharp, Potter." It was always somewhat intriguing to experience this change in Severus. Lucius knew that this particular young man irritated Severus the most. "Five points from Gryffindor." Severus said after pretending to concentrate on whatever the boy had said as an answer.  
  
"Mr. Potter. You're to scrub my personal potion cabinet clean tonight. Do not rearrange anything there. I assume you're capable of that at least, although your recent behaviour is starting to suggests otherwise. Follow me." Lucius had last seen the boy, young man, in his fifth year and was expecting him to be taller though he couldn't say that Harry Potter hadn't certainly grown up.  
  
There hadn't been any pictures of him in the papers for couple of years now. The boy had developed to be a master avoiding reporters.. and many others. It felt impossible that the dark lords deepest desire was just walking in the room where he was. It was very satisfactory feeling especially when he knew that his own presence irritated the boy to no end as he knew him to be a death eater and couldn't do a single thing.  
  
He had to admit, when he saw him better, that Potter had grown a bit in length too but mainly he had just matured. His hair was just the same, only it looked a little different when it was on him now. It fit somehow, made him look intriguingly ruffled.   
  
The green eyes were blazing behind the glasses and the black colour fitted him stunningly well. Just as it did on him himself but Potter was the exact opposite of everything he was. Lucius' musings were cut short though by the sound that came from his son. A familiar whimper.  
  
Draco had expected to be more delighted by the fact that Potter was in trouble but his senses seemed to concentrate more on his voice. It sounded deeper than last year or maybe it was just his imagination. Draco turned to look but froze.   
  
The bittersweet scent was filling the air even more than it had during the night after the feast when he was on the deserted hallway. Draco was mesmerised by it and slowly started to fathom what this meant. His eyes started to sparkle silvery and he stood up. There was only one single though in his head, meaning everything he was at the moment. He had found his mate.   
  
Finally his mate was here. His mate had a name he could gently call and a face that was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Draco wondered why he had never realised what a perfection Harry Potter was.  
  
He looked and admired the way Harry walked and held his head up though he knew exactly what effect his godfather had on him. Suddenly Draco wanted to push his gloomy godfather in the closet instead of his Harry. How did Severus even dare to think of doing that.   
  
Draco took the required steps to do it but instead his attention was drawn to his newly found mate. Fascinated by the beauty of Harry, Draco leaned closer and his heart stopped when Harry turned his lovely green eyes at him. He could just look at those green eyes for days. Drown in the depths they held. Of course his mate looked confused but Draco would clear this all in a minute and then everything would be all right.   
  
He would have his Harry. He would make him happy. Draco felt his veela allurement turning on like never before. He wanted to show his mate everything he was, entice him. Harry would want him and he would make him happy by giving him what the wanted. Everything. Anything.  
  
He opened his mouth as to explain but was magnetically drawn even closer. His exquisite Harry. The scent filled him whole and the longing to be closer grew exponentially. Draco reached and at last, softly kissed Harry's lips. The tender touch was so intense that he thought he would faint. But he had found heaven and would not let go.  
  
Without even realising it, Draco moaned and whispered, "Harry."  
  
**  
  
Harry had been on time. In the potions classroom. But when Snape was nowhere to be seen he headed to his private rooms wondering what he could be doing that made him forget Harrys detention. He had to find out so he could repeat it.  
  
He knocked few times and finally the door was opened.   
  
"Didn't I say.." Snape ranted that he hadn't been on time but he had. He tried to point out that it was not specifically said where the detention was to be held. That mark lost Gryffindor five points and Harry mentally scathed himself. He should have only nodded. Snape making a mistake was sure to be his fault.  
  
Then Snape ordered him to clean his personal potion storage, without rearranging anything there. Which probably meant that the ingredients there were poisonous or explosive, in best case, both. Move them and die.   
  
Not only that but Harry found out why Snape had been so absent minded. Mr. Lucius Malfoy and Malfoy were having tea there. That meant that he was stuck in the lowest levels of this castle with two and a half death eaters just behind the only door there was. Still Harry held his head up. Snape was muttering something but he was not going to give any of them any reasons to think that this all bothered him the tiniest bit.  
  
Halfway threw the room Harry felt something. It was vaguely familiar feeling and then caught a movement on the corner of his eye. Harry turned and came to look straight at Draco Malfoy. He was prepared for any biting remarks that would come but .. there was something wrong.  
  
Malfoy was dazzling. His silvery eyes, Harry had never noticed the colour so clearly before, were liquid like. Seemed to move in a funny way. His skin shone and hair was arranged just as precise as ever. Perfect was the only way to describe him and suddenly Harry remembered this feeling. It was just like that night when he was under his cloak looking back.   
  
Now he understood what Hermione and Ron meant. This was like something was taking over him. Little like imperius but nothing like it. It was hard to explain. Whatever it was, it wasn't anything good coming from Malfoy and Harry was not going to go 'jelly' on him like Ron had articulately put it.  
  
Malfoy was maybe an inch or two taller, just like nearly everyone else, and he was coming closer. Harry's head started to spin and he couldn't tear his gaze from those eyes. Everything was confusing. Then Malfoy was there and he was kissing him! And calling him Harry.  
  
Harry had never imagined that Malfoy would kiss like this. It wasn't passionate or brutal but so soft and gentle that he hardly felt it. Besides Malfoy tasted good. Then he realised that Malfoy was KISSING him. In front of his father and Snape. Harry somehow lifted his hand and pushed the blond away. They still kept looking at each others and were both breathing fast.  
  
"Wha.." Harry got out when somewhere really close someone said in a weird sounding voice,  
  
"Twenty points from Gryffindor, Potter. For making Mr. Malfoy say your name instead of mine." It was absurd. Harry was sure he had stepped into a.. a.. well, into somewhere else. Maybe he was dreaming and would soon wake up. Or then he had walked into a parallel universe because things like this didn't happen in his.  
  
Ron had said something about a potion. Hermione had agreed.. to some degree. This had to be just Malfoy making fun out of him. Harry turned and glared the other boy. He had succeeded.   
  
"Thanks a lot, Malfoy." He spat and walked off to the cabinet he would be spending tonight, opened the door and slammed it shut. It seemed that Harry was the second best to react to this situation. Draco was the first as he had never even been lost with it in the first place. Lucius regained his senses next.  
  
"Don't you ever do that to me again Draco. I AM YOUR FATHER!" It was very uncomfortable to feel the allurement coming from your own son and find out that you couldn't resist it. He was a half-veela himself for crying out loud, this shouldn't be happening to him.  
  
Severus was still silent. He was doing some fast thinking about this all. It didn't bother him that he had taken points from Gryffindor without a valid reason. Minerva would soon correct that. It bothered him little that Potter had heard the mentioned reason. Draco's glare was the next thing bothering him, it wasn't a nice one. And finally there was the little fact hugely bothering him, that the reason for this point taking would be marked up just as he was thinking it here and by tomorrow morning all his colleagues would be aware of it too.   
  
Albus would be most interest about the points his head boy lost as would Minerva. That's why he hadn't took them when that brat ran straight into him and only ordered detention. This reason now, would amuse the old coot up to no end but if Severus wanted to keep it out from the other faculty members, he would need to drop by at Albus' office tonight and correct it. The annoying man could choke on his smile, see if he cared.  
  
The next moment, before he got his mouth open, Severus realised that he had one very angry veela on him.  
  
"Now, dear godfather" Draco spat angrily. "You're going to give me a detention in that same storage room where my Harry is." Draco's eyes were narrow and the glare was up to his own ones. "If you know what's good for you" He even added.   
  
Severus didn't have any doubt about that. According to what Draco looked like and just waved his hand. "Your detention will start in a few minutes, after we have a cup of tea." Draco was looking at the door and opened his mouth but this time it was Lucius turn to interrupt.  
  
"You'll manage Draco. I'm most interested in this turn of things too and it concerns your mate." Draco sighed and sat down on the chair that was nearest to the door.  
  
"Your alluring powers were extreme. I've never felt nothing like it. Not even in times I've been with full Veelas." Lucius started. That finally got Draco thinking too.  
  
"I felt the allurement in a new way and tried to direct it to Harry. You were just close." He was silent for a while and a small frown appeared as he had noticed something quite alarming now. "He pushed me away." Draco lifted his gaze to met his fathers silvery and Severus coal black eyes. They had realised it too.   
  
They were both affected heavily by the allurement, even when it wasn't directed to them. Potter should have had the full blow. Draco could control it better now when his mate was around. There was no way Potter could've resisted.  
  
"He couldn't be one. Not Potter. Severus?" Lucius asked and Severus was thinking hard before he slowly spoke.  
  
"It could be. He threw off our lords imperius and competed with the Beauxbatons veela girl in the tournament without a hitch. Albus once mentioned something he did with the sorting hat on his first year that was difficult. Calling a patronus demands hard concentration and he did it in his third year. The occlumency that I had to taught to him, in which he finally succeeded, requires a lot too. There are also some potions that has very little effect on him and there are probably even more things that point this way, now that I think about it."   
  
Draco started to feel a little cold. It was obvious really. That's why his mate hadn't come to him and this had been so difficult. His Harry was probably an impermeam. A person with high resistant ability due to his strong mind. Wizards had long thought the muggle saying 'mind over matter' was due to because someone had done magic around them, a thing they couldn't explain. But sometimes there were things that were unexplained even to wizards. Like pain control over your body or resisting powerful spells and potions. Draco knew his godfather had weak impermeam abilities.  
  
Then another link formed in Draco's mind. The Delacour girl had been quite friendly towards his Harry at the tournament. Had she felt that Harry didn't feel her attraction as strongly as the others. Veelas usually had people after them all the time so they regarded highly those who were more calm around them, especially impermeams because they could treat Veelas equally. Though strong ones were rare just like true seers.  
  
Draco looked at his father who was looking back at him. Draco had to shook his head to stop snarling at him every time he saw his eyes glimpse at the closed door. He realised that he was being too possessive and hostile but he was a Malfoy and he didn't share. He was also a veela and the greatest treasure he had was in that room. How could he not feel threatened.  
  
Draco got up and headed towards the door. There he suddenly halted when he realised something else and turned back. "Father." Lucius was already watching him. "How difficult this will make things?"  
  
Lucius seemed to think about if for a while before answering, "Very so, Draco, but this also leaves only few options open." Draco nodded and went in the room. They never had that tea.  
  
"Lucius." Severus offered him some scotch. They sat there quietly for a while just thinking together. Finally Severus said. "You need to be careful." It was a hinting question though it revealed nothing in actual words. Lucius looked at him long and finally nodded.   
  
"Always covering your back." Severus added. tasting his own drink. It was another one of those half questions and it made Lucius look at him longer, finally sighing.   
  
"I always do that, old friend, I always do." Severus knew he would have a nice long conversation that night when he would drop by at Albus' office. He might even get easier off than he had expected. 


	7. Views on the matter

Disclaimer: None of it is mine. I only borrow them for a while and I'm not earning a cent. Frizzy writes marvellous fan fiction describing Draco as a veela. (Rowling: Harry Potter books 1 to 5, Frizzy: Magnetic Attraction)  
  
Summary: DM/HP During the summer, before their last year in school starts, Draco Malfoy's Veela heritage is awoken. He's searching his mate and that leads him to the most unsuspected target.   
  
Many thanks to my beta Wolf Lupin, who helped me tremendously with this chapter.  
  
**************The veela allurement*************  
  
Ch7. Views on the matter  
  
He stared at the heavy wooden door for a while and didn't want to open it, but he had to and it was better do it before Albus would invite him in. It didn't surprise him that he was already waited. Albus was sitting there behind his table as always. Maybe he never slept. He hadn't figured it out yet. Anyway, it was best to begin or Albus would, and he was not in the mood for one of his conversation 'journeys' tonight. The knowing smile on Albus' face irritated him enough.  
  
"How long have you known?" He asked and was not surprised that the other man didn't seem to be either.  
  
"Please Severus, have a seat? Perhaps a lemon drop?"  
  
Why did he keep on offering those blasted candies. How many years had he tried to make Albus get over this asinine fascination on muggle sweets, but the old man was too much of an optimist.  
  
"Tell me Albus, how long have you known?" He repeated and sat down, carefully keeping his face as a blank mask.  
  
"I fear that, as usual Severus, you seem to have lost few explaining sentences before that one?"   
  
He would've laughed if it weren't so damn frustrating. The old man knew exactly what he was asking. He knew that Potter was with him tonight and he knew about his other guests and he knew the blasted reason for his point taking. He wanted to growl.  
  
"That Potter is an impermeam." He spat. It gave him great pleasure to see that Albus looked just a little bit surprised. Even though it was probably just an act for him.  
  
"Ah, that one... Yes. I think I started to suspect it in his third year. Harry showed magnificent self-control then and later on everything just confirmed it." Albus' eyes twinkled and there was just the slightest upturn in his moustaches. "But how you came to that conclusion Severus? Have you seen Harry?" Now he really growled and directed his glare at the old man, who only smiled serenely back and twirled a lemon drop in his mouth.  
  
"You know very well that he had a fully deserved detention tonight and it also seems that our resident Veela has finally found his mate. The little fact that Potter somehow resisted him made me consider that option. Does Potter know what he is, Albus?" Severus suspected no, but it never hurt to ask, even with Albus.   
  
The older man looked at him long. Finally he sighed. "Would you care for some tea Severus? I think we have time for that."   
  
He only nodded. The mate fact made Albus finally pick up on the Lucius question. It was both easy and disturbing how fast Albus always counted things together. Easy because he didn't need to explain much and disturbing because of all the other possibilities of what else the man knew.  
  
"By the way Albus," he tried to say casually while the tea was poured. "There was a slight commotion tonight. Caused by the happenings mentioned and it resulted in some, slightly hasty, point taking on my behalf. Though I have no doubt that it wasn't somewhat deserved, I think I would like to, in this case, take in consideration that there were abating circumstances around and thus..." He knew he was close to blabbering and soon Albus would start to smile again so he just decided to be blunt. "I think I prefer to erase the point taking."  
  
The old man tried to cover it but the years had made him expert on Albus reading. The man was highly amused and again confirmed his beliefs that the man had very strange sense of humour. He tightened his grip on the teacup. It was not funny, and it was highly unethical to laugh at your colleagues anyway, no matter how inconspicuously it was done. And, for the thousands of times, he tried to remember why the old man was his soft spot.  
  
"Are you sure Severus? Why not just give the boy some points. I'm sure he won't mind how you do it."  
  
He nearly spluttered his tea. How did the old coot dare? He grinded his teeth together, and in a strained voice explained like the other was a two year old, "He did not earn the points Albus. There's the difference. I don't want him to think he is rewarded." He was sure that if Albus wouldn't drop it now, he would 'drop' something.  
  
Only the thought of Minerva tomorrow coming to him, and asking exactly how often did he advice his pupils not to call her Gryffindors by their names, made him stay calm. She would also ask why did he want young Mr. Malfoy to call him by his, and was he sure that twenty points off was proper thing to do in a situation like that. She would continue it until he would give those blasted points to some Gryffindor, perhaps even directly to Potter. Which he would not do. He absolutely would not give points to Gryffindors, especially without a reason.   
  
But Minerva wouldn't stop it there. Oh no. She would start to hint about how affectionate the Veela's could be and she would explain it to Rolanda. And there was a woman who would make his life hell. She would never quit, ever. Always when he would say something about those flying sticks or the Tornadoes, she would strike under his belt with that. That woman had the longest and qualifying memory that he had ever countered.  
  
"Yes, yes. I see it. You have a valid point there Severus. Of course I will correct it." Albus was smoothing him but that pleased twinkle and discreet smile made him hope that Albus would choke on that tea. Better yet, on that cookie he was happily munching.   
  
"How is Mr. Malfoy these days?" Albus suddenly looked seriously at him.  
  
Severus lowered his cup on the table. He had drunk enough of everything today. "He was surprised. Of course he already knew that the mate would be a Gryffindor but Mr. Potter, as usual, takes things to extremes. Lucius knows he has only few choices if he wants to keep Draco well. Whatever he decides, he has to abandon the dark lord. Potter is wanted so bad that Draco's life would not be spared and we both know that, at least after the mating, Draco will die with Potter." He had been turning it all over in his head but the result was always the same. His godson's life depended on Potters luck and he did not like it.   
  
"Do you think he is ready to side with us?" Albus' interest was rapidly growing.  
  
"I'm not sure. It would be risky to give Lucius enough information to negotiate to keep Potter alive. The dark arts are part of the Malfoy's way of life. Luckily they are not dependent on the ruler of the times. Lucius did admit that there is a reason to be careful and that he is prepared to cover his back." Severus watched the wheels turn behind those old blue eyes.  
  
He had known Lucius long enough that he had an inkling what he might plan to do. Admitting the need for carefulness could only mean that he would side with his son. If he had hesitated, he would have been planning ways to go on without Draco. There would have been no need to be more careful. However, that all didn't mean that he would side with Dumbledore. Lucius was capable enough even to form his own side if needed.  
  
When Lucius agreed that covering his back was a necessity, he could have just as well admitted that he would somehow help someone on the side of the light. As Lucius decided to keep Draco safe and turn against his master, there was no other choice but to bring him down. You did not leave the dark lord and live. The best way to insure that would be to work against him. When the current lord would fall, Lucius would need something to back him up. Some proof that he wasn't on the dark side, that he had helped to bring the dark lord down.   
  
Lucius also needed to cover himself to his master while waiting. Disappointments and traitors were killed eventually, no matter how valuable they were. When the news would spread about Draco, Lucius would need to do some decisions and act on them. How complicated his plans were, Severus didn't know, but maybe, just maybe him being with Dumbledore would attract Lucius there too. He really hoped so.  
  
  
  
**  
  
Ron woke up the next morning and his clock told him that the breakfast had already started. Luckily it continued long on Saturdays. Still he was sure that Hermione and Harry would already be waiting. So he jumped up, threw a pillow at Dean and rushed to the showers.   
  
The common room was empty and he only saw few first years on the staircases on his way down. The quidditch meeting had drawn long last night. It was still somewhat hard to believe that he was the captain. He had always expected Harry to become one, but somehow he had managed to turn the position down, never even actually saying so. Or that was how Hermione had put it.   
  
He, on the other hand knew that Harry loved flying and was a damn good leader when needed to, but he didn't actually want to be one. Harry had never had the passion to quidditch as much as to flying itself. In moments of doubt, he sometimes wondered if Harry still remembered the mirror from their second year and what he had seen in it.  
  
He had put the team to practise a little first, just to get the edge off after holidays and then they had come up with few names to offer to Mme. Hooch about who was good enough to be considered their next chaser. He was eager to tell it all to Harry and he also had this new practise plan that he had finally got into writing and needed an opinion. When Ron arrived in the great hall, he saw Harry already sitting there and eating.   
  
"How did the detention go last night Harry?" Ron cheerily stated but Harry only looked at him. "Come on. It couldn't have been that bad." Harry still only looked at him. "Could it?" Ron's grin faded and he was starting to feel extremely worried. If Harry would regard this all as his fault, even partly, and he could do that, after all it had been his gift and his brother's mouse, then this wouldn't be pleasant. Ron looked for Hermione for back up but she was no where to be seen.  
  
"You know, Ron. That depends." Harry finally opened his mouth while he speared his sausage violently with his fork and made Ron jump a little.  
  
Ron swallowed but warily piped, "On what, Harry?" The Gryffindor bravery and all made him do that mistake. Harry cut the sausage in half with his knife in one hasty blow that made a strong clinging sound echo around the hall.  
  
"On what you regard as being bad." Ron stayed silent this time. Harry was clearly very put off. He could try to run for the doors but Harry was pretty fast on his feet too. Then again Harry might not chase him but Ron didn't particularly want to place his hopes on Harry's temper management today.  
  
"Loosing twenty five points and having to scrub Snape's personal storage, full with the nastiest, poisonous, not to mention explosive things. Knowing there are three Slytherins sitting, two of them death eaters that would gladly see you dead, on the other side of the door that is the only way out. Then having Malfoy to share your detention that somehow stretches to last three hours. Not to mention feeling the 'thing' you had earlier with him hanging around all the time..." At this point Ron made a run for it. Harry probably didn't want to hear about their practise anyway.  
  
Out on the hallway, Ron saw Malfoy coming from the dungeons. It was the git's fault that Harry had had the worst detention ever. Ron was sure that he had arranged it somehow. Why couldn't the ferret just conveniently disappear for forever or something. Ron deliberately directed his steps so that he would be in crash course with Malfoy.  
  
"Out of my way ferret." He said coldly, stopping few feet away.   
  
"Weasel." Malfoy announced like he hadn't noticed him at all but then walked closer.   
  
Ron was starting to get worried about the jelly feeling but he was determined to teach that arrogant git that no one messed with his friends. It seemed that the other one was searching something as he took a step closer too.   
  
"Where are your two little friends? Not glued together as I though you were with that Granger?"  
  
"Shut up you blond git. I don't see your two bodyguards hanging around either." Ron puffed. "Enjoyed making Harry miserable last night ferret? I bet you did. Like father like son. Why you are even in this school anymore and not running around behind masks..." He didn't get any further when Malfoy came way too close and grabbed his arm tightly.  
  
"Just because I kissed Harry, I'm sure it didn't made it that bad. Did he say so?" The silvery eyes were narrow and angry. Ron was frantically trying to figure out what was so wrong with that sentence.  
  
"KISSED? You bloody furface came onto him!" Ron was raging, when his brains finally hit the right spot. He would be just as put out by something like that as Harry now apparently was. Ron swung his free fist to give Malfoy at least a black eye but the other just grabbed his other arm on his firm hold too and no matter how Ron tried, his arms didn't budge.  
  
"Look Weasel. The only reason I put up with you is because Harry likes you. The day he grows bored on you, you're mine." The grip on his arm was so strong that Ron wanted to wince but he would never give the arrogant sod the satisfaction. When had that fragile snob trained up like this. No matter, he only glared back at him and gritted his teeth.  
  
Finally Malfoy released him and left. Ron felt a little relieved that the jelly feeling was probably gone for good, no where to be seen, but he was much more relieved that the git had released him and was gone. There was something so wrong with all this.   
  
'Wait a second... Since when has Malfoy called Harry Harry?' Everything in Ron's world was suddenly out of place.   
  
"They kissed?!" He said aloud, leaning on the wall. It was too much for him and he started to walk towards the staircases whining like a lost puppy. "Hermione, where are you?"  
  
**  
  
Draco entered the great hall and immediately scanned it for Harry. He calmed down when he found him on the Gryffindor table. The desire to walk up there and sit next to him was huge but he could not do that, not yet. Harry didn't know and still strongly disliked him.  
  
Last night he had been in heaven for a while and the fall into the agony, where he had been when he had returned to his rooms, had been hard and long. The detention didn't go as he had expected at all.   
  
Harry had hardly spoken to him and mostly just glared. He had tried to make it clear that he wasn't there to supervise the detention or to gloat. He had even said that he was sure Severus would clear the points as soon as possible but Harry had said nothing. When he had offered to help with the cleaning, Harry had just said that then it would be so convenient him to be blamed for the poorly done job. And did Draco really think he would let him get him twice in one night.   
  
After that he had decided that it was best just to sit in the corner. He enjoyed only being near his mate and maybe that way he could show him that he really didn't mean any harm. But then Harry had started to clean the shelves and his godfather had some really... odd things there. He had to get up to move the most dangerous jars out of the way. He couldn't bear to think what would happen if Harry accidentally nudged them too hard and the dried ashwinder scales were highly explosive if any water was near by. Like the wet rag Harry was using.  
  
He wasn't sure if Harry knew any of it or maybe he was more worried about him, as he felt how he was eyed suspiciously all the time. Luckily Harry didn't say anything because he was miserable enough by that point. He really hadn't had no idea how much the Gryffindor disliked him. His mate hated him.  
  
Severus had dropped by few times and maybe his godfather was thinking that he was doing him a favour by keeping them there, but when the clock came eleven and the detention ended, Harry stormed off and he was sure that he saw him clench his fists.  
  
He hadn't even had the energy to yell at his godfather. He had only dragged his feet to his rooms and there he started to hit the pillow on the floor, though only half-heartedly. He wasn't even angry. He had had the perfect chance to come closer with his mate but he had utterly failed. And now Harry hated him even more.   
  
He should've ordered Severus to cancel the whole detention or at least cut it short. Maybe then Harry would've believed him or even said something nice. He should've conjured another rag and just started helping his mate. But he had just sat there in the corner and let Harry do all the work. He hadn't even apologised the kissing. And the fact that he had done it in front of his father and his godfather made him feel even lower. Harry might not ever forgive him that. The first one had tried to kill his mate few times and the latter usually just spent his time making Harry as miserable as possible. It was definitely clear now. He was an idiot, though he preferred the earlier self-denial. But there wasn't any other explanation.  
  
Suddenly Draco was startled when Vince sat beside him and grunted a good morning. He hadn't even realised that he was supposed to be having breakfast. Harry was still sitting in his table but wasn't looking at him. Draco stopped the would've-could've-should've game and wished that he would see those green eyes again. He had dreamt about them and in his dreams they didn't look at him like he was an enemy. They had been bright, gentle and had trusted him. Loved him as much as he loved Harry.  
  
Only looking at him made Draco want to sigh. He had been so stupid these past years, though he would never admit it to anyone else but Harry. And he would do that. He had realised, among many other things last night, that just like he hadn't known the real Harry, Harry didn't know the real Draco and it was about time that to change. He would show him that they could be friends. That he could be trusted and he would always be there. Maybe after that, they could become something more. He would do it all slowly enough not to scare Harry. He needed his mate but if it was for him, he could wait.  
  
He noticed Harry getting up and couldn't help but stare. The way he moved and the little he saw of his eyes was hypnotising. He tried not to be blatantly obvious but all carefulness evaporated when Harry stopped to talk to someone at the doors.   
  
It was that crazy Ravenclaw girl whose father owned the paper that always published all sort of rubbish. She seemed to know Harry a little too well and she was clearly flirting with his mate. He didn't hear what they were saying but there was no mistaking it.   
  
Draco was furious. Beyond that. No one did that to his mate. How did that little hideous looking slut dare to try and steal his mate. Suddenly he had this strange urge to strangle her.   
  
While several other murderous schemes went through his mind, he noticed that the Weaselette rushed there too. She was swirling her hair and giggling. Draco vaguely remembered some rumours of her undying love for his Harry and that did it. He had to play them out of the picture. Preferably in a way that they would never dare to think his Harry that way again. Better yet, in any way. Harry was his and his alone. It didn't bother that Harry didn't know it yet.  
  
But he couldn't just rush there and make it clear to them. He wanted to but Harry wouldn't believe him and would probably defend those two harpies. That was one of the many good sides in his Harry. The unwavering loyalty, even to those who didn't deserve it.  
  
But Draco had many ways to deal with unwanted people. He concentrated on Harry and felt his allurement turn on. He directed it straight at the three, knowing that it wouldn't affect his Harry like it did the others. But the Loony Ravenclaw and Harry were already leaving the hall and he only caught the redhead's attention, just as she was rushing after them.   
  
Draco heard Vince start spluttering next to him but didn't let it bother him. He would squash that girl for having the nerve to even think that she could get away with something like that. He couldn't do anything serious right now, but at least he could keep her from dangling Harry's arm and following him around. That would do just fine, for now. The girl was nearly drooling at him and started walking closer. Draco smiled predatorily. Suddenly he felt a hand on his leg that distracted him.   
  
"Vince! What the hell... leave my leg alone." He pinched his year mate rather hard on his side and the boy winced. But that all had disrupted his allurement that was now directed to no one. Which resulted in, that everyone in the hall were again staring at him and he groaned. He had to stop it now. Even if the allurement was in control, it would be too obvious that he was doing something to the girl.  
  
The redhead was still standing rigidly in the middle of the hall and slowly Draco watched her eyes to go round. Her mouth fell open and she just stared at him like she didn't believe her eyes. Then she turned abruptly and fled the hall. Luckily she didn't do anything melodramatic and scream or faint. The whole family were just the same. He really didn't know what Harry saw in them.  
  
**  
  
Ginny was running and she could hear her heartbeat ringing in her ears. She couldn't believe what had just happened. It was like the diary all over again. Well, without the blackouts and the diary itself but the overcoming feeling was the same.   
  
Or was it. She slowed down to walk and tried to think. 'What had happened just now?'  
  
She had laughed at her brother when he had told her what had happened to him, but now she would need to apologise. When she finally fully stopped to take a deep breath and started to look for Harry and Luna, she realised that she had run in the opposite direction. She wouldn't find them anymore but she had to talk to someone right now. Someone had to tell her that she wasn't going insane.   
  
She walked from wall to wall for a while thinking and then rushed off again. She had to find Hermione.   
  
She hadn't seen Hermione on the breakfast but she was not going back into the great hall and check it. She had seen Ron but he had run off without eating either. That was one of the things she meant to ask Harry. The day his brother skipped a meal, was the day he was seriously sick. Then again, it might have been because of Harry, who hadn't seemed that pleased to see her brother. It was right to Ron if Harry was angry about the mouse. If it would've happened to her, she would've been beyond angry.  
  
Ginny was going up the stairs and pass the third floor when she heard Hermione's voice in the next hallway.   
  
"Are you sure he didn't just say it to irritate you?"  
  
"I don't know, Mione. Do you think so?" Ron's voice sounded hopeful. Ginny didn't hear what Hermione answered and soon Ron was speaking again. "We need to ask Harry but there's something so wrong with all this. I bet he has finally listed as a death eater and you-know-who has given him..."  
  
"Shh, Ron. Let's go there. Anyone can hear us here." Ginny rounded the corner just when Hermione and Ron were walking through a doorway.  
  
"Wait! I need to talk to you!" She yelled and run after them but they were too far. When she reached the heavy looking door it was already locked and when she thought about it a little better, she didn't want to explain this all in front of Ron. He was probably still a bit touchy at her, for calling him a pogrebin and making those hairs grow out but Ron had been really annoying her at the time.  
  
She turned back and was thinking hard. Was it like the diary or not. It was so long ago and she didn't exactly want to remember but something was different here. Many things were. For one, there was no diary this time. She hadn't felt any spell or seen one be cast at her. She hadn't drunk anything weird either. She didn't black out and find that she had done something terrible. The only similarity was that she was somehow compelled to do something she didn't want to. Or she knew afterwards that she didn't want to.  
  
It hadn't felt anything similar down in the hall than it had been with Riddle. She had wanted to be close to Malfoy. She had really wanted to which was the scariest part of all. He had been everything for her for a short moment and that was baffling her. It felt just like she had ever imagined that... love would feel, but it didn't last. And it was Draco Malfoy and she didn't prefer blondes and she certainly wasn't in love with him. The last name was another connection and she would never again let a Malfoy control or use her.  
  
**  
  
A/N. Many thanks to all the reviewers. I read everything you write. You are so great! Particularly warm thanks to those who have repeatedly come back and told me what they have thought of the newest chapter and also to those who write the most thrilling and amazingly long reviews :) and to J.  
  
I try to follow the Friday UPDATEs, which is quite a hypocrite thing to say because today is Monday. And especially when I say that I need to reserve two weeks until the chapter 8 is out. But THAT will be a Friday-day. This is all due to because real life will continue to suck during this week.  
  
...Ai niin, ja erikoiskiitos teille harvoille (jotka ymmärrätte tätä) siitä, että ootte lukenu näin pitkälle ja (toivottavasti) kertoneet mitä piditte siitä. Rohkaisut käytetyn kielen ja kieliopin suhteen otettiin myös lämpimästi vastaan. ;) 


	8. Chasing Harry

Disclaimer: None of it is mine. I only borrow them for a while and I'm not earning a cent. Frizzy writes marvellous fanfiction describing Draco as a veela. (Rowling: Harry Potter books 1 to 5, Frizzy: Veela attraction)  
  
Summary: DM/HP During the summer, before their last year in school starts, Draco Malfoy's Veela heritage is awoken. He's searching his mate and that leads him to the most unsuspected target. A hard and difficult one too.   
  
************ The veela allurement ************  
  
Ch8. Chasing Harry  
  
*Saturday, after dinner*  
  
Draco knocked the frame and felt more nervous than he remembered he had ever been but he had to do this. Every instinct inside him screamed him to stop being stupid and go after his mate. It had been over a day since he had seen Harry and his instincts were also making stupid thoughts run inside his head, like that Harry was in trouble or hurt or many other things which he didn't want to think about. But one thing he knew for sure, Harry would calm him down.  
  
The fairys in the painting were currently laughing at him but suddenly they started to shimmer and then Harry was there. Draco couldn't keep a small smile appearing on his face.  
  
".. Malfoy!" Harry sounded suprised.  
  
"H.. Potter." Draco was mentally hitting himself. He had to remember not to call Harry Harry. He did not need to mess this up now.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Harry seemed to search the words a bit but sounded honestly curious.  
  
"Well I am a prefect and you are the headboy. I need to discuss something with you." There was this little annoying voice inside Draco's head that constantly reminded him that he was a Malfoy and it was also making nice suggestions about what he should be saying to a Potter. Comments, insults and the tone of voice that he knew would drive Harry crazy.   
  
Of course it was good that he knew those things. That way he could avoid them.  
  
"May I come in?" Draco asked and resisted the urge to smile as happily as he was feeling.   
  
Harry seemed unsure what to do and was eyeing him suspiciously. Finally the hospitality won and Harry stepped aside to let him pass.   
  
Draco looked around the room and was little impressed. The room was comfortable looking and not in different shades of red like he had expected.  
  
"So what it is you can't handle?" Harry asked and Draco tried to look affronted. Though being here with his mate made any negative feelings float out of his reach.  
  
"Nothing. I just want a second opinion on something." He casually said.   
  
Harry burrowed his brows. "What are you up to Malfoy?"   
  
Draco didn't pay any attention to the question. He only smiled innocently and walked to sit in the armchair.  
  
"You are better not be planning anything for me or my friends." Harry started to sound agitated and so Draco decided it was time to try to convince him of his good intentions. This was going just as he planned.  
  
  
  
"I don't have any plans on Weasley or Granger, if you were referring to them." Draco looked back at Harry. "And I didn't come here to talk about them."  
  
"Malfoy, just spill it out." Harry sighed and walked to stand by the window where he had a clear view of him.  
  
Draco smirked. "It's Draco by the way."  
  
"Huh?" The expression on Harry's face was priceless. His mate was so cute when he was so clueless.  
  
"My name. You can use it if you want to.. Harry." Draco thought that he overdid it a bit as Harry reached for his wand and glanced around.  
  
"All right, What is this? Why are you here?" Harry was getting angrier and Draco certainly hadn't meant that to happen.  
  
So he sighed and slowly started to explain his business. "Today a third grader came to me with a problem and I told her that I would inspect the 'enemy' side for her."   
  
Draco swallowed. Suddenly his throat was very dry. "Don't you offer your guests tea or something." He asked was looked around as if a house-elf should be conveniently hidden in somewhere.  
  
  
  
"You just hold your breath till I do," Harry sternly replied, "And that didn't explain anything. What did she want?" But now Harry seemed a little less tense as this all seemed to have a purpose of some sort.  
  
"Really, a cup of tea wouldn't…" Draco started but one look at Harry put him back in his course. "It is a difficult thing for her, you understand. I'm not going to brake her trust on me if I'm not completely sure that you keep this thing to yourself, Harry." He tried to take more serious posture and was pleased to notice that Harry looked surprised and maybe even impressed. He was sure Harry would throw a remark about Slytherins and their trustworthiness but none came.  
  
"I am aware that, as a headboy, I'm equally responsible to all the houses, even Slytherins, Malfoy." Harry pronounced the Malfoy part in a way that Draco got the hint that he was not accepting first name basis between them.   
  
Draco suspected that in time he could change that and just kept going, "Well, Harry…" When he was eyed angrily again, he decided to cave in, this time. "Potter. She has a serious crush on a boy in your house."   
  
Harry looked like he was stunned.  
  
"Potter! .. Harry! Are you all right?" Draco was a little confused and worried as Harry just stared at him and didn't say anything. Then, to his amazement, Harry started to smile and finally laugh. He had never seen that this close or directed at him.  
  
"THAT was your reason to come and see me. Enemy reconnaissance?" Harry sounded really amused.  
  
"Well who else would you recommend I'd talk to? Granger? Right. A Gryffindor prefect? I can see how that would have gone. Face it Potter," Draco was proud that he had finally remembered the last name thing. He would go back to Harry soon though, "Despite the difference of opinions we have had during the years, I know you best in your house."   
  
Harry was looking dumbstrucked again and his eyes were getting rounder. Now Draco really fought not to smile but it was getting really hard not to. Harry just looked far too amusing. "Besides it's your job to do these house relation things," he added to make his point.  
  
"Ooh. So you want to shove this to me. That's why you are here. Leaving this for me to handle." Harry said nodding his head and looking like he had just discovered what the secret purpose of wands.  
  
"No, not exactly. I said to her that there wasn't a future for them. Not now and not here and not at their age." Draco elegantly rouse from the chair and walked little closer to Harry. He dared to go up to the fireplace but then stopped to lean on it. He didn't trust himself further.  
  
"Quite a cold view you had there, don't you think Malfoy. Not that I'm suprised but really, we can't predict how it would go," Harry said slightly sneering.  
  
But that just made Draco's heart flutter. Harry had just said that he accepted Slytherin Gryffindor datings.  
  
"But if you cleared it already, why are you here?" Harry added as an afterthought and looked straight at him again.   
  
"I told you. A second opinion. Besides do you think a Slytherin will give up that easily? And how do you suggest that she would proceed then?"  
  
"What! When have Slytherins needed or accepted an advice on that area from Gryffindors. Besides, they ARE a bit young and they do have time." Harry leaned the wall and was still staring at him. Draco couldn't help but admire the colour of his eyes.  
  
"Ah, you're right Potter. What was I thinking asking you." The words came out from his mouth but Draco felt that silly smile on his face again.   
  
He didn't want to leave but feared to push it, so he started towards the door. This had really went better than he had ever imagined. He was not yelled or thrown out immediately. Harry had not insulted him and now that he though about it a little better, Harry very rarely was the first to pick a fight. He just never backed down from one.  
  
"So, you don't judge it," Draco still had to ask, "And so I can presume that the boy might not either, but don't you think it would still be best just to order her not to pursue it?"   
  
Harry was looking at him sadly and then he sighed. "You can't force people Malfoy. I realise that you must have some sort of a pecking order in your house but freedom of choice is just what it is called." Harry followed Draco to the door, "Besides didn't you just say that Slytherins aren't that easy?"   
  
Draco just smirked and stepped out.  
  
After the most weird visit he had had in a long time, Harry went to sit in the other chair. Opposite the one that Malfoy had just occupied. He was thinking furiously but couldn't come up with any reasonable scheme the blond might have but now he was more sure than ever that Ron was definitely right. Malfoy was up to something.   
  
And even if this had nothing to do with that, he still had to wonder why did Malfoy bother with this all in the first place. Do something like this, coming to talk to him just when some younger girl had asked. He would have never thought that some lovesick student could get Malfoy to act this way. Harry knew Malfoy certainly didn't care and really, coming to HIM with this. Even Hermione would have been better.   
  
On the other side of the painting, Draco was walking away and smiling widely. Even the fairies didn't bother him anymore. Now, all he had to do was to find a third year Slytherin that fancied a Gryffindor or at least thought or considered doing so and his first plan to spend time with Harry would be ready.  
  
**  
  
*Saturday, near midnight*  
  
Draco was knocking again but this time he was more anxious than nervous. He couldn't believe he hadn't pick up on it until now.  
  
Finally the door opened. "Severus!" He sighed and pushed past the glooming man in a morning-gown.  
  
Draco was measuring the floor when Severus turned, looking very grumpy and stirring his eyes, wand forgotten in his hand. It was clear that he had just awoken.  
  
"Draco? …What do you want? This is better not be anything about Potter." Severus said and was rubbing his left eye tiredly while trying to wake up more.  
  
"Of course it is." Draco said like it was ridiculous even to suggest anything else. "Dumbledore must not announce it on Monday that I'm a veela. It would ruin everything. Everything!" Draco stopped in the middle of the floor with a look of pure agony on his face.  
  
"Why don't you sit down and explain. Clearly I'm stuck with you until I hear this out." Severus pointed Draco to the couch while sat down in the armchair himself  
  
"If everyone are told what I am, I will be followed carefully. People won't leave me alone and they will notice how I behave towards him and if I leave him alone, how will I get him? When he hears that he is my mate, what do you think he will do? Harry will freak out and that's why I need to get close to him first. Spent some time with him. At least convince him that I'm not as bad as he thinks I am. Besides, I can control the allurement better now. No one needs to know." Draco was looking at his godfather intently, like it was all in his hands and if truth was told, it sort of was. Of course he could always go to the headmaster directly but he had inherited his father's dislike to the old man.  
  
"Sounds reasonable Draco but how are you going to arrange this quality time with Potter?" Severus lit the fireplace with a wave of his wand.  
  
"I have something planned already. And the potion assignment that I will be doing with him is going to demand a lot of time from both of us." Draco was looking impassively at his hands in front of him.   
  
Severus glared his godson. "What assignment… No, Draco. Absolutely not. I refuse to waste any of your precious study hours on something as pointless as that." Severus looked like he would not even imagine of giving in on this. "I can't just make up a specific group including you and Potter. I would need to include all the seventh years on it and the newt group already has their hands filled this year. Absolutely not."   
  
"You're wrong. It won't be pointless." Draco said but Severus was looking at him disbelieving. "Not the way you will arrange it." Draco added and Severus sputtered like he always did when he noticed that he had too much of his fathers mannerism in him.   
  
"Just make sure that it is something interesting enough that Harry will keep up with it." Now it seemed that Severus just wanted to laugh.   
  
"So, not only am I supposed to re-organise this year curriculum but I also have to be considering your precious mate's wishes while doing that. Are you sure that you have no more things you want me to do?" Severus asked sarcastically. "You know, I have a very short list of people that I consider close to me but it is coming painfully obvious that it helds the most demanding people in the wizarding world today!"   
  
Then his godfather took a long, deep breath in order to calm down a bit before continuing with a strained voice, "Not that Potter is interested on his grades but don't you think that failing in class isn't uplifting enough?"   
  
The idea still seemed to be difficult to swallow but then, slowly, a dark smile appeared on his godfather's face, "But don't you worry Draco. I'll organise everything."   
  
**  
  
*Sunday, breakfast*  
  
Draco walked determinately away from the great hall. He had to get a copy of Harry's schedule somehow so that he could easily him when he wanted to. But this 'Loaning' was easier said than done. Few years back he could've just borrowed it from any Gryffindor in the same year but now, with the newt classes, he needed the original.   
  
Pansy had given him few stupid ideas that he didn't even consider but it was surprising how uplifting it felt that someone knew about him and Harry, besides the teachers. Then his thoughts returned to the original problem. Either he would need to get the schedule from Harry or from his head of the house, Professor McGonagall. Getting it from her meant either asking it directly or breaking into her office. Neither seemed a good option.  
  
'How.. how.. how..' Had become his mantra for this Sunday but after two hours of thinking, he managed to rediscover an ancient spell called 'accio'. After fleeting moment when he felt very stupid, he sneaked in the right floor to be close enough and managed to get the piece of paper he so wanted. Then hastily copied and casually returned to Harry's bag, that was lying around in the library, before no one was the wiser.  
  
Harry didn't even notice the whole thing as he wasn't exactly thinking about his homework. He had had the weirdest dream last night. He had dreamt about lines, everywhere he looked were just lines. He had had a funny feeling that behind the lines, there was something else. Something very important.   
  
Then he was moving amongst them and the feeling increased. He felt like something was growing around him and then he suddenly got suffocating feeling. The lines returned still were everywhere and though he was sure something bad would happen, it felt strangely comforting to know those were still there. But only then did he notice that the lines were transforming into snakes that were hissing and wrapping around him. He knew he should be able to talk to them and knew that he only needed to ask and they would leave him alone, but he didn't know how. They were just hissing and he couldn't speak parseltongue. The snakes felt very heavy on him and their scales were making funny noices. He started to struggle and suddenly he woke up, all tangled up in his blanket.  
  
Whether it was because of the dream or not, his day seemed oddly straightforward. Having breakfast, visiting Hagrid with Hermione and Ron, introducing Hermione to the Graphorns, listening she and Ron argue, mostly about the Graphorns, lunch, following Ron and Hermione to the library and so on and so on. Finally he realised that it was evening and that he had just lost a game of exploding snap to Ron.  
  
Harry looked around and noticed that the Gryffindor common room was oddly calm. If the twins were still in school, Harry would have known to expect something sudden from somewhere, but as it was, it was only making him bored. There was only a group of younger students reading an old book while few of them were taking notes.   
  
Ron asked him about something but Harry just let it go. If he would ignore everything, Ron would become bored and go and make up with Hermione and then they could all come up with something better to do. It was well proven strategy.  
  
Then he noticed another group of older Gryffindors come in and thankfully they enlived things up a bit. It was strange but Harry thought that he saw them carry the same old book than the others were studying in the table. He shrugged, amazed what things people noticed while they had nothing better to do. Really, it was nothing extraordinary. Books were made usually many at a time and it was not unusual that people, though different ages, were interested in the same book. Even when he didn't remember it being a school book.  
  
But when he turned and to his amazement, saw Ron reading the very same book, he started to get curious. He leaned down to catch the title.  
  
"The most loveliest potions by Laverne de Montmorency," he read aloud. "Ron, why are you reading that? You're better not let Hermione see because you already have her and trying to catch others would be just plain greedy." If Harry had expected Ron to blush or sputter or anything, he was disappointed. Ron just grumbled something and kept on reading. Hermione did that, not Ron.  
  
"Ron, are you sick? That is a book about love potions, isn't it?" Harry asked but the answer was the same. Frowning he thought that maybe a different tactic would do. "Ron, do you want some cookies? Food?" And finally that caught his friends attention.  
  
"Cookies?" Ron dropped the book and sounded delighted but squashed back into his chair when he saw nothing of the kind. "Don't joke about serious matters, Harry!"   
  
"I wouldn't but you went all Hermione on me. Why are you reading that and for that matter, why are everyone else reading it?" Harry was getting anxious to know by now. He didn't like not to know if there was a prank coming or something worth while going on. Besides this day was really dull.  
  
"Oh, you mean this old book?" Ron said innocently and gave him a lopsided smile. Harry glared at him as if to dare him to do that again.  
  
"Harry, M-A-L-F-O-Y. Does that say anything to you?"   
  
Harry knew he was looking dumb but he was feeling like that anyway. That made Ron sigh wearily.  
  
"Sometimes Harry I swear you don't have any self-preservation, no matter it how it has been proven that you should."   
  
Now it was Harry's turn to smile widely and irritatingly.   
  
"Nor common sense," Ron threw.  
  
"Hey, that was borderline insulting," Harry said trying to sound like the twins and got Ron to try and whack him with the book. But he missed and Harry grabbed it.   
  
"What's in here anyway." Harry leafed through few pages and look back at Ron. "Love potions? Really? Like in Lockhart way?"  
  
"Malfoy is using one on us. I knew I was right and Hermione has not come up with anything else yet. I'm going to get him sooner or later. There has to be something in the school rules about it," Ron took the book back.  
  
"All right. But why are you looking into it. Wouldn't Hermione… " Harry knew that Ron had a passion about beating Malfoy but usually it was Hermione who led the research.  
  
Ron muttered something under his breath and Harry just kept on looking expectantly. Finally his friend threw the book on the table. "She is studying something else. Can't just take it that I'm right for once," Ron crossed his arms stubbornly but then smiled. "But I have told the others and they agree with me that this," Ron tapped the book, "is the most logical conclusion. That's why they are reading it. We have to get back at Malfoy."  
  
"You're spending too much time with Herm, you know. It's rubbing off on you." Harry only said and he saw that his lack of enthusiasm was egging Ron, who snorted at him. Somehow Harry found this all was very amusing and couldn't help but to start laughing when he distinctively heard a very pig like 'noff' coming from Ron.  
  
"What if we leave it for a while and see those new quidditch strategy plans you made?" Harry suggested when he finally got himself into something resembling a control.   
  
Soon Ron gave up moping and dig few parchments from his bag that were filled with scribbling and all sort of arrows going every way.  
  
**  
  
*Monday, potions class*  
  
Snape rushed in the classroom with banging doors. It was quite usual but this time he also had a particularly nasty sneer on him that didn't promise anything good. Harry was happy to be sitting in the back of the class.  
  
"Lower your quills." Snape snapped and the black eyes swiftly looked around, lingering a little on him.  
  
"Before we start today I have an assignment to give out. Because you are all expected to take potions this year, even those who clearly have all their talents directed elsewhere," Snape gave a sharp glance at Neville's direction. "I am still not going to let this time go to waste. Because you are not capable of making any useful higher difficulty potions yourself or even when paired up, I have decided to ensure that you get at least some experience, and the newt class an opportunity to try out their talents. Which means that I am partially combining these two groups on this particular assignment." There were few mutters and Neville had gone two shades paler instead of the usual one.  
  
"Each of you will be paired up with a newt group student and you will be given a potion to make together. These potions demand more skill than any of you even hope to have but I expect, and the newt group students each dearly hopes, that they will have the aptitude it demands. If you succeed with the potion, then it is yours to keep and use. Just remember the ministry protocols on them. This level of potions demands a long study and preparation period, which is why they are not usually done while in school. That is where you come into the picture. You are the help needed in the more monotonous work and you will learn much about the plants and variable chopping styles during this. The advanced students will do the rest. I will pair you up, give you your potion ingredients and the rest you shall do on your free time." Now there were murmurs raising everywhere but one loud slamming of a book in the teachers table got their attention again, firmly.  
  
"Fridays classes will occasionally be used on this. The potion has to be finished by Christmas holidays. Your grade will depend on it, though not many, if any, of the potions will be usable. You will notice that with some potions you don't have time to linger. All the ingredients or something that will become them, will be given out next Monday. Then it will all be up to you," Snape lectured on while walking between the tables.  
  
"Now, because the number of less talented are substantially more than those who actually possess some, few groups will include three or even four students. I assure you, there will be work enough for everybody," then Snape walked to his table and grab a parchment that was lying there.  
  
"Lets get this over with. Thomas and Entwhistle will assist Mr. Boot with a memory potion. The newt student will have the detailed recipe. Brown and Longbottom will side with Ms. Jones and will be doing a truth serum. Finnigan and Hopkins get their orders from McMillan... Yes, what is it Mr. Thomas?"   
  
Dean had his hand high in the air, "Professor, you are mixing the houses!"  
  
"Yes," dangerously smooth voice answered.  
  
"Well... I was just... I don't know their schedule and we don't share many classes..." Dean's voice was fading.  
  
"That is not my fault Mr. Thomas. Get their schedule and take the ear wax off. That way you might hear something and I would not need to repeat everything." Dean was blushing and Harry heard several of the Slytherins snicker.  
  
Snape didn't say anything but just sighed, "So Macmillan's group will be doing a medical draught. Weasley will assist Ms. Brockelhurst with another medical potion. Patil and Corner will be helping Ms. Fawcett with a confusing concoction. Potter, you'll assist Mr. Malfoy with Wolfsbane potion. Grabbe and Finch-Fletchley will work on one of the love draughts with Zabini.." Snape went on and on but Harry wasn't listening anymore. He had been paired up with Malfoy. What cruel joke was fate playing on him now. Next to him, Ron was wallowing in self-pity though he had only gotten a Ravenclaw girl to boss him around. Brockelhurst would curse Ron if he messed something up but she was allright otherwise.  
  
**  
  
*Tuesday morning, 9-11*  
  
Draco was late. He couldn't believe he had slept in but then again if you knew what he had dreamt about, you'd understand. He had quickly dressed up and ran a comb through his hair before rushing out. Harry was having charms and he had a free period.  
  
Draco was a little out of breath when he arrived in the third floor. He realised he had already missed feeling the scent near by when recognised it immediately amongst the others, to which he paid no attention.   
  
Harry had formed to be such a huge part of him during only these few days. Constanly in his thoughts and certainly in his dreams. He was always happily suprised when he felt the scent somewhere and he tried to time the meals in great hall so that he would have the opportunity to casually brush against Harry in a way in or out.  
  
Draco knew that this would eventually even out and he would have more control over his emotions but the funny thing was that at this moment it didn't bother him at all. When he arrived at the end of corridor and in front of the charms classroom, he clearly heard Flitwick's voice but the door was closed and he couldn't see his Harry.  
  
Draco loitered at the door for a while cursing his bad luck, until he suddenly got an idea. On his way back down the dungeons he only wondered why hadn't he thought of it before. There were several large windows in the charm's classroom that gave a clear view in and he fancied a bit of flying right now.  
  
Twenty minutes later the blond Slytherin was lazily making circles high in the air, just above the lake shoreline. If someone happened to notice and maybe wonder why he wasn't the at the pitch, to get an answer, they would need to come much closer and probably higher, to realise that he was, instead of practising any quidditch or flying, looking at something through his omniculars.   
  
And if someone would ever come across the opportunity to see the recording Draco made that day, played numerous times afterwards by the way, that certain someone would see Harry Potter biting the end of his quill from time to time, while listening the teacher. Then he would write something down and turn to speak to Ron Weasley next to him, his green eyes shining with enthusiasm. Then they would both try out a charm and suddenly laugh merrily at the frog that had jumped right into Weasley's lap and then Harry would reach out and pass it to the distressed tall boy who who came to collect it.  
  
**  
  
*Wednesday, shared transfiguration*  
  
"Potter." Draco announced and sat down. Harry turned to look at him. The green eyes disturbed Draco's concentration a bit, but he still managed to say, "I hear that we share a potion assignment."  
  
Harry nodded, "As of the next Monday, Malfoy." Then he turned to look at the door, probably trying to see Weasley to arrive and to claim his seat.  
  
"Do you know anything about wolfsbane?" Draco asked while twirling one of Harry's quills. It brought back memories and he suddenly straightened his back.   
  
Harry snapped the quill back. "Of course I know. For werewolves, extremely hard to make. Sorry Malfoy, but apparently Snape wants to flunk you with me. Didn't really see that one coming," then Harry lifted his books on the table.  
  
"Glad to see you have some background knowledge already," Draco said while he again reached for the quill and started playing with it.   
  
Harry looked at him oddly as well as few others around them. It wasn't everyday you saw Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy having a peaceful conversation.  
  
"I want to get started as soon as possible you know. We have three and a half months. Researching and preparing will take quite long and I don't intend to fail," Draco said turned to look straight at Harry. Those deep green eyes held so much emotion in them that he just didn't know what more to say or actually remembered much about what they were talking about in the first place. Luckily for him, Harry didn't notice his momentarily relapse but just grabbed his quill back again. This time stuffing it all the way back in to his bag.  
  
"Leave my quill alone and over three months is a long time Malfoy. We're in no hurry. The potion takes less than two weeks to make."   
  
Draco couldn't help but to raise his eye brows. It seemed that whatever the reason was why Severus had chosen this potion, it had certainly got Harry's attention. Now he was intrigued. "That's quite a rare potion Potter. I wonder what has made you so interested in it that you would know something like that."   
  
Harry looked taken back but soon scolded his expression back to normal. "Sometimes Hermione does things like that to totally innocent people," he just answered and opening his books turned his back on Draco.   
  
Draco was somewhat at loss for words but he desperately didn't want to leave. Maybe if he stayed until McGonagall came, he would get to sit here during the whole class. "Professor Snape didn't mention to us when he would be giving out the ingredients. Did he tell you?" Draco asked while he stretched to sit more comfortably in the chair. Some Ravenclaws were staring at him when they thought he wouldn't notice. Of course he did but it wasn't his fault this time. No matter if he had his allurement under control or not, Veela's attracted people. Harry, on the other hand was acting like he hadn't heard a thing he said so Draco poked him.  
  
Finally, after the second poke and just when Draco was starting to get shivers for the small chance to touch his mate, Harry sighed and turned. "What is wrong with you?" He whispered. "Don't you have some place else to sit and spent your time? The potion will be fine and we don't know nothing more about it before next Monday," Harry looked at him annoyed. Draco had clearly reached the time limit they could 'enjoy' each others company peacefully.   
  
"There's plenty we can do before we get the ingredients." Draco said matter of factly. "For instance, we can look what they are and how they are handled."  
  
"You mean I have to look so that I'll know not to mess them up while chopping and slicing them?" Harry asked faking excitement.   
  
"We," Draco corrected, "are going to look. I don't have no issues working with you Potter if you don't have any with me." Draco carefully glansed at Harry. "Ready to do something on this weekend?" He tried not to sound too hopeful but his heart was running wildly.  
  
"Malfoy! What are you doing in my seat?" Weasley's voice interrupted Harry just when he was about to answer and Draco turned to angrily glare at the red head. "Get away from there and leave Harry alone," the idiot just ordered and threw his bag on the desk.  
  
"Weas..ley." Draco managed to said more or less calmly and it was only due to this mantra going on in his head 'do not angry Harry for nothing, do no..' Though Weasley was such an easy case that it was twice as hard not to agitate him.   
  
"I am sure, even though your academical records surely aren't the best, you should be a little more worried about your potion assignment Weasley. If not for the grade then the pure survival instinct should kick in. After all, you're working with Brockelhurst," Draco faked a shudder. And surely enough Weasley had heard about the girl because he suddenly looked shaken.  
  
"So shoo somewhere else so that I can finish my chat with Potter here and get it over with," Draco turned to Harry and left a gaping Weasley standing behind him. Soon though Harry started to smile and was looking at something behind him. Draco turned around fast stare daggers at the redhead who was trying to whistle innocently. Few other Gryffindors nearby were nearly laughing too and Draco narrowed his eyes.  
  
"Look, Wea..." but again he was cut off. This time by Professor McGonagall who entered the classroom.  
  
"Class, today we are going to do... Mr. Weasley, why are you standing there? Sit down. The class has begun."   
  
Draco was sure that the red head was thinking about squashing him and smiled at him smugly. He was also silently congratulating himself for getting to sit next to Harry for the whole two hours.   
  
"Ah, Mr. Malfoy," McGonagall suddenly said from her desk. "Would you be so kind to take your own seat too so that we may get started?"   
  
Draco's mood plummeted and slowly he took his bag and got up to sit next to Blaise. He couldn't help but accidentally kick Weasel on the ankle while he went by. How could he help if the other was so clumsy and always on the way.  
  
**  
  
*Thursday, shared transfiguration*  
  
Draco had a better plan formed for the next day. He had a potion book with him so that he could show it to Harry and he had asked Pansy to keep the Weasel happy and far away. The clock was ticking but Harry hadn't shown up. When it was nearly time for the class to begun, he agreed with Pansy that they would organise it so that there would be only two possible places left for the late comers. Besides him or her and he was sure that the Weasley would drop dead rather than sit next to him. And surely McGonagall would start to reorganize the whole class' seating order just to please the Weasel. But again Draco had to notice that when his plans included Harry, they tended to screw up. Not much unlike during all the previous years.  
  
McGonagall strolled in as usual and begun. "Class take your seats. Today we will continue the rat to bird transformation. As I said yesterday, transformation between a mammal and animate thing..." Draco shut her voice out.  
  
Clearly there was a flaw in his plan. There were more than two empty seats, four to be exact and the last time those persons had been absent, was when they were helping the giant. As he assumed this to be the case again, Draco sighed and turned to look at the blackboard. This was going to be a long, dull and absolutely boring class.  
  
**  
  
*Thursday night, Harry's care of the magical creatures class*  
  
Draco had to see his mate. Harry had been absent during dinner and he just couldn't take it anymore. He knew that Harry was supposed to be having a care of the magical creatures class late tonight and he decided to sneak a peek too.  
  
If there was one thing Draco didn't want to see or have anything to do with, it was all those nasty creatures there and he hated the forest around the school because it was full of them and now he had to go near some mad wild beasts if he wanted to see his mate.  
  
He knew that the area for the Gryphorns was behind the school, too near the forest for his comfort but still he headed there. Far too soon he saw the area the creatures were restricted into and then he saw his mate and his heart stopped. Harry was inside the barrier with those things.   
  
Draco hurried his steps to reach the rest of the class who were securely standing outside. He went to stand next to the idiot his mate called friend. "What, letting Potter risk his life while you sit here and tremble Weasel. Wouldn't have believed it from you." Draco hoped to be sneering but he was feeling too agitated and out of breath to do it properly. Why wasn't the git there helping his mate. Luckily the redhead didn't noticed that he was a little of balance, not that he thought the other noticed much anyway.  
  
"Ferret, what in the bloody blazes are you doing in here? You don't even have this class because you're a bloody coward."   
  
There were some insults that Draco could somehow look through his fingers but calling a Malfoy a coward wasn't one. "You are calling me a coward. That's rich.. Oh, I forgot. You're poor. Don't even think you can spread this coward thing to me. I'm not the one standing here while Potter is fighting there with that thing." It came quite clear what he meant as he was frantically waving at it. At the moment Harry ducked its tail and Draco paled considerably when he noticed the horn that was there and that had just missed his mate only by inches.  
  
"For your information Malfoy. Harry has proven himself to be the best to do that and he is just tying it up so that Hagrid will let us in there too." Weasley was explaining unconcerned, whooing for Harry every time the creature attacked.   
  
Draco on the other hand was having the worst moments of his life until now. The ugly creature wasn't really attacking but only trying to keep Harry away, like an annoying fly. But Draco was sure the thing would get angry soon and then what it would do. He seriously had to fight against the urge to run there and drag his mate into safety.  
  
Harry was moving gracefully around the beast, all the while keeping an eye on the tail and every so often he had to dodge it. Finally Draco realised what he was trying to do. With the help of his wand, Harry wrapped a rope tightly around the beasts forefeet so that it couldn't move around. The next rope bound the tail securely around the hind legs.   
  
The stupid Weasel was only clapping next to him. The utter stupidity of that redheaded snail never stopped to amaze him and Draco was just about ready to do some serious damage on him.  
  
"Ah, Mr. Malfoy. What yer be wanting 'ere?"   
  
Draco jumped when the half-giant suddenly spoke next to him. He had been so intently watching Harry and then trying to find a suitable place to kick the Weasel, that he had not noticed anything else. Now it was time to think up a good explanation and rather quickly.  
  
"Yes.. umm. I'm here to see if these creatures can donate few potions ingredients. Professor Snape sent me." Draco was fishing around and sighed relieved when the giant started to nod and told that his godfather had already mentioned him about it. Then he was forced to listen the explanations about the fur and when those horns would be dropping off. Half the time he had no idea what the giant was explaining because of the way he spoke and he really didn't want to listen but he wasn't complaining either. He had a splendid view of his mate from there.  
  
**  
  
*Friday, potions class*  
  
"Pair up and I will give you the instructions. Mind you, this is not going to be done on all the Fridays. You have the evenings and weekends to do this," Snape was lecturing from the front. The potions classroom seemed rather crowded because all the seventh year students were there.  
  
"Potter," Draco said nodding slightly.  
  
"Malfoy," Harry did the same and then sat down in silence.  
  
"I told you it would have been useful to check on this earlier," Draco added just to say something.  
  
"Shut up."  
  
"I saw both of your friends in the library already with potions books, though Weasley wasn't looking exactly what I would call happy." Draco had been annoyed that Harry refused to meet with him but his mate was the head boy and had other duties, just like he had been notified. But then again, he could always just march to his rooms like before and talk about this so it was nothing to be upset about.  
  
Severus swept by and dropped few papers on Draco's desk. Harry made no effort to take them so he picked them up. It was true that this was a particularly difficult potion and he wasn't sure if Severus had chosen it just because Harry seemed to have an interest to it or if he wanted to get back at him for demanding this thing in the first place.  
  
"You know, we have to do the work here under surveillance when ever we decide to start. This could blow up big if we mess anything up." Draco said but it only made Harry to lift one eyebrow and then return to stare ahead.   
  
To Draco's utter disappointment Harry's behaviour didn't come any warmed at all during the class. And when it ended, Harry just rushed out. It made him feel a little better that this probably wasn't something of his doings , because Weasley was rushing after Harry too. The stupid bugger had probably done something again.  
  
**  
  
*Saturday, quidditch pitch*  
  
"Catch it Harry!" Someone yelled and Draco saw a quaffle fly towards his mate. Effortlessly Harry steered to right, catching it and then he threw it on. The Gryffindor quidditch team was practising on the pitch and Draco was discreetly watching them from the stands.   
  
He loved the way Harry flew. His mate had become more steady and graceful on the ground too but on the air, Harry was definitely something special. Draco didn't notice any effort behind the way the broom just seemed to obey his mate. It was simply perfect.  
  
Harry was getting higher and higher while he was looking after the snitch. The rest of the world seemed lost to him which gave Draco the time and chance to stare him more closely. He never had had that sort of pleasure from simply flying. He liked the winning and beating others but Harry, though he had a lot of competitiveness, clearly wasn't doing this mainly because of it. It was the same thing that had put his mate on the team in his first year, with little help from him of course. Up there Harry seemed to be free and exhilaratingly enjoying himself.  
  
Harry was concentrating but in a different way than he did on the classes. Once a while he smiled a bit and then he made a loop in the middle of the fly, making Draco had to notice the corners in his turns.  
  
Too soon the practise was over and the team headed off. Draco waited for a while and then headed towards the castle himself. It seemed clear to him that his plans were already starting to work. He hadn't fought with Harry or his friends even once and he had had many conversations with his mate. Draco smiled happily, the smile brightening his whole appearance to the bring of serious exaggeration.   
  
He was sure his wait would soon be over and he couldn't wait. Every night he was talking and spending time with Harry in his dreams, occasionally he even got to touch Harry. Maybe he would push a lock of hair out his mate's face and then kiss him ever so gently on the lips, tasting the familiar flavours of his mate's scent. Sometimes Harry would whisper sweet things into his ear and lift him to heaven. Then, every single morning he was forced to wake up from the bliss just to see how far he still was from it.  
  
The emotions he had on his mate were so intense that he had hard time of doing anything that wasn't including Harry. He was constantly thinking about him and it felt incredibly frustrating that he couldn't just go and tell him everything.  
  
Everyday he watched Harry walk and talk in the hallways. Laughing with his friends and eating in the great hall and every single moment he ached to share those things with him. He wanted to be the one that made Harry laugh, he wanted to be the one Harry would walk with, he wanted to be the one to spent every awaking hour with him.  
  
And the need to touch his mate was becoming unbearable. The kiss had started a fire inside him that was spreading like a wildfire, burning everything on its way. Every time he managed to touch his mate while passing and when his fingertips would fleetingly feel the fabric of Harry's robes, Draco just wanted to stop the time.  
  
He couldn't believe something as meaningless as that was effecting him this way, but it was. He was ready to sacrifice anything and everything for Harry and he wanted to prove his love. Do something else besides wait and see. Of course he remembered their past and everything he had done and how it must have looked from the Gryffindors point of view but he would make up to it for thousands of times if he would only get a chance to.  
  
And now it was finally looking like he would get that chance. He only needed to wait few weeks more or maybe just one and then he would go and tell Harry. Probably Harry would first wonder about it but he was sure he would eventually understand and see him as he truly was. Not as some evil reincarnation like Weasel always said.  
  
Draco had slowed his walk down and suddenly looked around. He hadn't even noticed while he was thinking about his mate. He laughed a little and again started towards the castle, only to hide behind a tree when he heard familiar voices coming closer from the quidditch field.  
  
"..is something dangerous," the Weasel's voice carried to him.  
  
"Ron, I agree with Herm. You are obsessed about this," and that was his Harry. His voice Draco was always ready to listen eagerly.  
  
"You are saying that now but just wait. He is just buying time and planning," now Weasel was sounding agitated and Draco could imagine how his face was looking.  
  
"It has been over a week and, yes, I admit that he is behaving oddly but you have to drop this and do something else for a change. Firstly because you are driving Herm crazy and secondly, too much reading doesn't suit to you," Harry was walking forward and passed the tree. Draco saw him carrying his broom over his shoulders while he took a step to the left in order to stay hidden from the two.  
  
"Harry open your eyes and see the ferret for what he is. His father is a death eater who has tried to kill you one time too often and the son isn't far behind. Remember our fifth year? You don't expect him to be anything more than a nuisance at best." Draco heard Weasley spat but he didn't care. Suddenly he was feeling all cold inside and he feared what his mate would answer.   
  
There was a long silence before Harry said anything. "I don't expect any Malfoy to be more than a lap dog to Voldemort," Draco flinched. "No one can change that much nor fight the way they were raised. It's just as unlikely as you deciding to become a death eater Ron. I saw his father to bow to kiss the hem of Voldemort but just leave this all for now. Malfoy can't do anything serious while in Hogwarts and anyone that is going to serve Voldemort should be pitied because they won't get any mercy from their master." Harry's voice faded but Draco still heard Weasley crying that he should stop say you-know-who's name. Then his legs gave in.   
  
He sat there long, staring ahead unseeing. Nothing he had done this week had changed a thing. Harry still hated him or worse, pitied him. Draco had to laugh that someone thought they had to pity a Malfoy but his Harry did and that his mate also regarded him as a lap dog or on his way to become one.   
  
Why didn't Harry see that he would do anything to please him. He would rather face the dark lord himself and fight him than let Harry do it. Draco found it hard to swallow anymore and the wind didn't feel like the warm breeze it had been a moment ago.  
  
He didn't like it but tears were swelling in his eyes. Every dream he had had where Harry held him and whispered words of love to his ears seemed too far now. All the times when he had seen Harry smile this week faded from his memory. The silly times when he had felt the happiness swell inside him seemed fake. He had deluded himself into believing something.   
  
His tears never got to drop though and Draco just closed his eyes because it all hurt so much. He refused to give up. That wasn't even a choice for a him. He was a veela and a Malfoy and he felt disgusted that he had even though of it and also because he shouldn't have let daydreams to form his reality. He should give Harry more time but maybe they had too much hate between them, too many years as enemies. He would never lie to himself anymore and he would make this all work in real world and not in some fantasy place inside his head. His father would have a fit if he saw him now.  
  
Thinking about his father brought other thoughts and Draco found himself facing the terrible idea that he would actually need to do something drastic to prove himself to his mate. He had to get Harry to believe in him and do it before anything could happen that would rock this fragile boat more. He would have to prove that he wasn't his father if he couldn't get Harry see that his father wasn't like his mate thought him to be.  
  
Draco knew that Lucius had tried to kill Harry. Several times actually where it either was a side effect or the main purpose of the plot. Luckily his father had had as much luck with Harry that he had. Maybe it was a Malfoy curse.  
  
It would be difficult no matter what. His father was a difficult and layered person. Draco wasn't sure if Harry would ever see that but something had to be done and his biggest problem was his last name and he was not going to wait years or even a year to be happy with his mate.  
  
**  
  
*Saturday, tea with Severus*  
  
"Maybe there is a need for higher powers intrusion Draco?" his godfather was speaking about something that Draco had no idea what it was. He had told him about Harry and how everything was messed up and that he would write a letter to his father and tell him never to speak to him again and cut all the ties to Malfoy name.  
  
"What do you mean?" Draco looked confused and his godfather sighed.  
  
"You are not concentrating and you are a Slytherin Draco. I thought you would have learnt that if you can't go straight then you would get someone else to straighten the way," Severus looked at him meaningfully.  
  
"Potter trusts the headmaster and Albus is also the one person that can force you two together here. Potter won't leave Hogwarts and I'm sure Albus will come up with something."   
  
Draco was looking at his godfather distrustfully. "Why would he do that?" he asked suspiciously. The headmaster had no reason to help him, after all he was still his father's son.  
  
"Because the old coot has been off his rocker for a long time now," Severus sighed, "and because I happen to know that he regards Potter highly and would do a lot to guarantee his happiness," he added, a little more gently. 


	9. Betrayal hurts more than other surprises...

Disclaimer: None of it is mine. I only borrow them for a while and I'm not earning a cent. Frizzy writes marvelous fan fiction describing Draco as a veela. (Rowling: Harry Potter books 1 to 5, Frizzy: Magnetic Attraction)  
  
Summary: DM/HP During the summer, before their last year in school starts, Draco Malfoy's Veela heritage is awoken. He's searching his mate and that leads him to the most unsuspected target. A hard and difficult one too.   
  
************ The veela allurement ************  
  
Ch9. Betrayal hurts more than other surprises & QA's  
  
An owl swooped down and dropped a letter on Harry's plate. He looked after the owl funnily. He wasn't expecting any mail except from Sirius and Remus and had been a little worried as Hedwig wasn't back yet.  
  
Ron was trying to look over his shoulder what the letter was about but then Hermione admonished him for his manners and there they started to argue again. Sometimes Harry wondered if they ever would stop it. But on the other hand occasionally it was for his benefit and you could always rely on it. Like when Ron had started to rant him more about Malfoy and the detention. It had ended the same minute Hermione had said she was appalled by Ron's way with words.  
  
Harry abandoned his breakfast and opened the letter. It had two parchments, both half filled with fine spidery scribbling. The first was the schedule for his extra classes that Dumbledore had promised to deliver him this week and then there was a letter that invited him to a meeting at Dumbledore's office tonight. Harry stuffed them in his pocket and got up in his thoughts. Maybe the meeting was about the order and his vision. It couldn't be about his new classes because they seemed to be in order.  
  
"Sorry! I wasn't looking..." He said absentmindedly over his shoulder when he accidentally ran into someone at the great hall doors. Harry never looked back to see the concerned eyes of Draco Malfoy.  
  
**  
  
"Ron, are you sure you want to try this one out this soon?" Harry pointed at the paper and was frowning. "We don't even know who the new chaser is going to be and this is going to be difficult even to Seamus and Andrew." They were carefully looking over Ron's new moves for the Chasers in Gryffindor common room later that night.  
  
"But that's just it Harry. If we can pull this when everyone thinks we're playing it safe because of our new chaser, we will take them totally by surprise." Ron was looking exited and Harry was just about to comment when Hermione rushed in.  
  
She looked anxious and ready to burst over something. Her cheeks were burning enthusiastically pink and her eyes were shining. It was immediately clear that she had again discovered something. She always looked like that, no matter if it was over a new way to use some plant or a variation of some spell.   
  
Hermione was looking around the common room and finally noticed them. She bounced at their direction immediately and when she finally stopped at their table, she had to take few deep breaths.  
  
"You won't believe - what I found out." She exclaimed and then looked around frightened that someone was listening. "Come on. Let's go to my rooms." She was wringing her hands and signed them to hurry.   
  
Harry and Ron gathered their things quickly. It was no use try to argue with her when she was already going.  
  
Hermione was leading them forward half running and every time Ron or Harry tried to ask something, she just hissed at them. Soon they gave up. When they finally arrived at the painting of Sir Cadogan, Hermione nearly pushed them in, locked the painting and cast a silencing charm. Then she turned to look at them, eyes shining.  
  
"I know." She said in a conspiratory way. Clearly she was ready to burst now.  
  
Ron looked at Harry and rolled his eyes and then turned to her. "What do you know Mione? Come on, tell us already. You haven't been like this since you figured out why that powdered asphodel, or something, reacted differently in your calming potion than sliced one."  
  
Hermione seemed little taken aback. "Well, that wasn't in our school books and it didn't make any sense." Then she shook her head and the excitement was back. "But this is nothing like that. This is huge!" She took few hopping steps and dragged them to sit on the couch while she sat unceremoniously on the coffee table.  
  
She took a deep breath like readying herself for something. "I know…" She looked from Harry to Ron. "What Malfoy is up to. Or more precisely, what's up with him." She smiled widely after that and looked highly pleased at herself.  
  
"What! What is it and how did you find out? Is it a potion? Tell us now Mione!" Ron perked up and looked like Christmas had come early.  
  
"I found this book while I was looking something for my transfiguration essay. First I thought nothing of it but it was really fascinating, so I read further. I had few questions that the author just passed, so I looked for a second book on the subject…"  
  
"Mione make it short." Ron looked pleadingly and though Hermione first looked annoyed, she soon got over it and just smiled widely again.  
  
"That was when few Slytherins walked in the library. They made me think about Malfoy and can you imagine the shock I got, when everything I just read seemed to fit at him." Hermione continued. Ron was nodding his head up and down while he was trying to make sense of what she was trying to tell.   
  
Finally he grabbed his forehead and sighed. "Mione! What – was - it?!"  
  
Hermione just smiled slyly and leaned closer to them. "The book I read." Harry and Ron both nodded eagerly for her to go on. "Was about northern magical creatures, mostly about the lives and the ways of the Veelas."   
  
Hermione looked at them expectantly and Ron seemed like he was doing some quick thinking. Then Harry heard him take a sharp intake of breath and he could have sworn that Ron paled a bit.  
  
"You can't be serious. M - Malfoy?!" The words came out of Ron's mouth with great difficulty and were filled with disbelief.   
  
Harry was looking from Hermione to Ron. Clearly they both knew something that he didn't. "What? What has Veelas to do with Malfoy?" He sounded a bit annoyed but really, he didn't see the connection and even Ron had got it already.  
  
"Oh Harry, it means that Malfoy is a veela." Hermione explained slowly. "Half-veela to be exact. One of his ancestors must be a Veela. It's not that unusual you know. Many wizarding families, especially old purebloods, have few drops of non human blood in them and Veela's are very understandable, they are human like and certainly attractive enough."  
  
Harry was looking stupid and but he thought he had every reason to. True, he hadn't thought that Veela's fell into the creatures category when he saw them in the world cup and surely understood what someone might see in them. He had even heard Fleur Delacour say that she had a Veela as one of her grandparents but that Malfoy?! It was incomprehensible. Then something else clicked in his head.  
  
"Most purebloods. So does it mean that there's some truth in Snape being related to a bat?" Harry suddenly got a very interesting mental image and Ron snorted.  
  
"Bat is a little far fetched but vampires might hit closer." Hermione said like she was taking it seriously not that they could ever be totally sure that she was joking. Now it was Harry's time to snort and Ron was outright laughing.   
  
After Ron had silenced down a bit, Harry though about another question. "Hermione are you sure about this? I mean absolutely, 'not ever been so sure about anything' -sure? I didn't even know there were male Veela's?"  
  
"Yes there are and yes I am. Males are just more retrieving in nature than females and far less in numbers. Mated females also act much more drawn and prefer quiet surroundings so they are not seen often. Of course half-Veelas seldomnly have a need to close themselves off. I bet Malfoy gets his veela blood from his father's side. That would also partially explain why Lucius Malfoy is so high up in Voldemort's ranks." Harry decided just to stay quiet and wait for more. Maybe this would eventually made sense later. Ron still winced whenever they mentioned the name.  
  
"Veela wizards have more stronger magic than normally. But they have the weaknesses of the Veela's as well as the benefits." Hermione was really getting to her lecturing mode but for once Harry and Ron didn't mind. "You see, Veela's life moves totally around their mate. Quite romantic actually. They would give and do anything for the mate. I think the mate is many times regarded as a weakness, especially in human world, but the magical power increase is definitely one of the benefits, no matter how you looked at it. It all fits to Malfoy. He must have come to his heritage this summer. The outward appearance he now has, the allurement effect that we have felt and I noticed he is doing exceptionally well in every practical classes. Plus, the potion that Snape made us do last week… it was a counter potion against the allurement." They sat in silence for a while after that.  
  
"I still can't believe it. Malfoy is a Veela." Ron's voice and expression didn't walk hand in hand. He sounded stunned but looked relieved.   
  
Harry had caught one clear thing from Hermione's explanations. "Malfoy has a mate?" He asked still somewhat dazed over this.  
  
"From what I read about, yes. Though it's a bit different from what you might think. I'd say a soul mate is a better word. That is closer to the truth. Muggles have thoughts about them but with Veela's it is the actual thing. It's like a perfect match in every possible way. Like there has once been one soul that has for some reason divided in two and as far as I was able to found out, Veela's are actually the only creatures that can find those. Wizards have tried to make spells and potions for centuries in order to do the same but no one has come up with anything as sure and effective." Hermione explained it eagerly when she for once had so attentive audience.  
  
"Why would they do that?" Harry asked, still in his thoughts.  
  
"Men." Hermione said frustrated. "It's the perfect love Harry. You of all people should know the power of it." Then she realized what she had just said and looked at him carefully, clearly not sure how he would take it.  
  
"I do." Ron said suddenly and both Harry and Hermione now turned to watch him. "When we were little our mother often told us these Veela stories. How they were the most wonderful beings on the earth and so faire. The luckiest wizards or witches might one day get to marry one and they would be loved until the end of their days. Or that's what we are told when we are children. I s'pose you don't know about it, being raised in the muggle world but basically every wizarding child in one time or another wishes to have a Veela spouse. They would get unconditional, perfect love forever. It's this childhood dream of many." Ron was looking dreamily ahead...  
  
"Fairytales." Hermione slowly said. Then she frowned. "It's really annoying how much they leave out from those magical culture books. Not even once are children bed time stories mentioned."  
  
"So Malfoy can't just choose any girl to marry and what did you say about those changes in him?" Harry asked and Hermione stopped frowning and got back into explaining.  
  
"I just figured out that he is a half-veela but now that you mentioned it, there were several chapters about the mate searching period. Half-Veela's come to their heritage in the same time we others hit our puberty or a little later. Their magic can act weird during that time and they have no or very little control over it or over their allurement until they find their mate. That is the first thing they do. Then everything focuses around that person…" Hermione haltered and was looking pensive.  
  
"You know, in the beginning of this school year, mainly during our first week, Malfoy hardly did anything in the classes and the allurement was affecting us heavily. But I don't feel it constantly anymore, at least not as compulsively. So would that mean that Malfoy has found his mate during that time…" Hermione looked up. "That Malfoy's mate is in Hogwarts."  
  
"I told you that he has acted really weird but did anyone listen to me!" Ron exclaimed and got a glare from Hermione. "So the mate is here." Ron said hastily but was still grinning. "I wonder who it is?"  
  
"Well..." Hermione started, looking to be deep in thoughts. "A veela would try to get the mate. Use the allurement maybe and Malfoy would certainly pay more attention to this person. If the mate was a Slytherin, we would have noticed it already. I'm sure they would already be together and you can't actually keep something like that a secret here or when the other is a veela."  
  
"So that leaves only Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws and us." Harry didn't mean that to get out like it did and added. "I haven't noticed Malfoy looking at the Ravenclaws any differently."  
  
"Neither have I nor the Hufflepuffs but Malfoy has been awfully weird to us." Hermione said slowly and looked at them. Ron and Harry looked back at her shocked. There had been many situations when they had run into Malfoy or when Malfoy had purposely lingered around the Gryffindor table or something else. Now that they thought about, what they had just seen as the usual annoy-the-Gryffindors, clearly wasn't that.   
  
"He hasn't hexed Neville even once," Said Hermione.  
  
"Or bullied the younger," Ron added.  
  
"Or took house points." Harry looked at them. It was really a wonder they hadn't noticed it before.  
  
"I must be blind. It's so obvious." Hermione sighed loudly and looked really disappointed. Like if she had just gotten only a satisfactory from a test. "A veela would never hurt his mate and the way Malfoy has behaved around Gryffindor just screams that the mate is one of us."  
  
"Don't be so sure Hermione. Remember what he did to Ron? Would he do that if the mate was here?" Harry suddenly said.   
  
"You don't understand Harry. The mate is his life. He could never hurt him and Malfoy knows who it is when they meet. We." Ron pointed at them. "Clearly are not that person but I still think that he has been more careful around us too. Probably he has realized that it's not that smart to piss off the housemates of his mate."   
  
"If Malfoy knows who it is then how come it's not news already?" Harry asked.  
  
"Well he can't just waltz in here and grab the mate. Veela might know when someone is the other half of their soul but the mate doesn't. Not so easily." Hermione said.  
  
"You know Mione, that's not exactly true." Hermione turned to look at Ron questioningly. "That he can't just come here. There are several laws that guarantee the most unbelievable things to Veelas, especially when their mate is in question." Ron continued.  
  
"What? No law can agree with kidnapping or something like that." Hermione said stunned.  
  
"There has been half-Veelas in high positions in the ministry and they have pushed through laws to ease their lives. I remember there was even once a case when a Veela had killed someone that had hurt her mate and she was not convicted. There is lots of stuff a veela can do when the mate is in question." Ron eagerly continued.  
  
"Be serious. There can't be. Even the ministry can't be that biased." Hermione apparently had had some confidence left in wizarding laws, no matter how bad the house-elves or werewolves were treated or people pushed into Hogwarts or despite the numerous other injustices they'd witnessed.  
  
"There is! You can just take my word for it." Ron said more upset. Hermione probably looked a little dubious because soon the two were fighting again. Harry decided to leave them to it and picked up his books and turned to go to his rooms. Then he happened to check the time and bolted out of the room.  
  
**  
  
'I'm late, I'm late… I can't believe I forgot the meeting with Dumbledore.' Harry was running the hallways and prayed that what ever it was Dumbledore wanted to see him about would be late too. He turned the last corner slowed his pace. Someone was standing in front of the gargoyle that led to the headmaster's office, as if waiting for something.  
  
Harry recognized the blond hair and he was somewhat confused. What was Malfoy doing, just standing there and why. He walked closer and started to feel little nervous. Everything what Hermione had told him just moments ago came back. Malfoy was a veela and no one knew or at least not many knew. Harry had always assumed that very little could escape the headmaster. Was that why Malfoy was there.   
  
Malfoy didn't notice him and seemed a little edgy and deep in thoughts. Slowly Harry walked closer and when he was only few feet away from the blond, the other finally realized that he was there and looked very surprised.  
  
"Harry… what are you doing here?" Malfoy glanced at the gargoyle and then back to him. He sounded unsure and not only because Harry had sneaked up on him.  
  
"Stop calling me that and what are you doing here?" Harry had a reason to be there but seriously doubted if Malfoy had one. That was if the other wasn't in some serious trouble he hadn't heard of.   
  
"I'm waiting and you?" Malfoy sounded even more nervous and looked ready to jump any moment. Harry had never seen him acting like that. It was weird. Sure enough Malfoy had done odd things this year and even before but now he seemed so out of character that it was starting to make Harry nervous. Suddenly he had bad feelings about all this.  
  
Harry was sure Malfoy was a veela. Hermione had been sure and that was enough for him, besides everything fit. The changed looks, the attraction, the potion, it all made sense. And the mate thing was interesting. Harry couldn't help but wonder who she was and why it wasn't public information already.   
  
Ron had seemed so understanding, which was something Harry never though he would see. Ron understanding Malfoy. Scary. It still made Harry want to laugh. Pity they hadn't been able to pinpoint the mate out but definitely someone in Gryffindor.  
  
"I have a meeting." Harry answered and looked Malfoy more closely. The blond was avoiding looking at him and now he seemed rather uncomfortable than just plain nervous. "What is it Malfoy? You're acting weird."  
  
"I'm not. I'm just… just… you know. I have a meeting too." Malfoy had actually jumped a little and edged further away from him. Harry was fascinated by his behavior. Something definitely was going on and he was eager to know what before he went pass the gargoyle.  
  
"You too? I wonder what's it about if we're both supposed to be there." Harry absently answered. Something was trying to come out from his head, something he remembered but couldn't quite see the whole picture.  
  
'He could never hurt his mate… Malfoy's behavior… that's why I think the mate is a Gryffindor.' Hermione's voice repeated itself in his head.  
  
"I was waiting here. On my way there but I thought you were there already." Malfoy actually stuttered a bit and still wasn't looking at him. Harry took a step closer.  
  
'You don't understand Harry, the mate is his life. He could never hurt him…' Harry remembered what Ron had said. Now, if he just could see what was missing. He knew it but didn't get it.  
  
"Yeah. I'm running late." Harry answered.   
  
'Mate is a Gryffindor… Malfoy's behavior… never hurt HIM.' Ron and Hermione were talking together now. Then Malfoy's voice added 'I thought you were there already.' to it and Harry remembered the kiss. Suddenly it all clicked.   
  
"You're a veela." Harry stated and could feel himself going pale. Malfoy's head jerked up and finally Harry saw his eyes. They looked exactly like the night when Malfoy had kissed him. Harry started unconsciously retreat.  
  
"Gryffindor mate…" Harry just said and the books he was carrying suddenly dropped to the floor. He felt like ice was slowly frozing him from inside and Malfoy looked anguished.  
  
"I'm ... I'm your mate?" Harry asked the question to no one and sudden trepidation filled his heart. This was not true. It couldn't be. It didn't make any sense. But then, in a way, it did. Everything fit and deep down he knew it was true.  
  
"Harry..." Malfoy reached at him but Harry backed away. "Please, don't be frightened. I'm not going to..." he didn't get any further before Harry interrupted.  
  
"You… I… WHAT!" Harry finally yelled and the clearness with what he had figured this all out fled him. He couldn't think straight. Harry only knew that Malfoy was supposed to be his soul mate, he was supposed to Malfoy's mate?! Someone up there had seriously fucked things up.  
  
The gargoyle chose that moment to jump aside and reveal a worried looking Albus Dumbledore. Next to him was agitated Lucius Malfoy with his wand drawn. And behind them were a sneering Snape and McGonagall with pursed lips.  
  
Dumbledore took one look around and then scolded his expression back to his usual cheeriness. "Harry, we have been waiting you."  
  
Harry watched as the older Malfoy, who had tried to kill him with that very wand only few years back, now slowly put it away and was looking from his son to him. Harry turned to the headmaster. Everything felt like a huge mess. Why either Malfoy had to be there right now.  
  
Harry stopped his thoughts at that one sentence. Malfoy had been there, waiting to be called in. He was supposed to be in there already with his head of the house, Snape and Lucius Malfoy.  
  
"You knew." Harry heard himself say with oddly detached voice. Very calm. He looked at Dumbledore who was just looking back. The smile had left the old face but those blue eyes still twinkled. Then Harry looked at all the adults and finally, from McGonagall's face, Harry could read it openly. "You all knew, didn't you?"  
  
Harry took a few steps back until he felt the cool wall against his back stopping him. He was feeling sick. They had all lied to him, made a trap ready and lured him here to agree to who knew what.  
  
"What were you going to say?" He asked them, now hissing low. The anger begun to rose inside him. He was angry at Snape, who was standing there just like nothing had happened. Still hating him, probably more than before for doing this to his precious Slytherin. Like he had choice.   
  
Harry was angry at McGonagall too. She had always been fair, his own head of the house. She had been honest and straightforward but now she had been there also. Just waiting for him to step in and be humiliated and forced to do something he certainly didn't want to. She made Harry feel a sharp pain of betrayal somewhere.  
  
Then there was Lucius Malfoy. He belonged to Voldemort's inner circle and probably had several new plots how to kill him for doing this to his son. Just one more reason to delete his existence and the more Slytherin way he could come up to do that, the better.   
  
Though the angriest Harry was at his headmaster. No doubt about it. The old man had tried to manipulate his life again. Kept knowledge that was directly linked to him. Harry couldn't understand why. Did they really hate him so much that they deliberately kept on doing this to him. Why didn't they tell this to him the moment they learned about it? He turned to stare at the younger Malfoy angrily.   
  
"Harry. Please come up and we can have a cup of tea and hear out this all." Dumbledore turned and started to usher the others back upstairs.  
  
"I'm not coming anywhere with ANY OF YOU." Harry finally yelled. Just to prove his point, he added more steps to the space that was between them and retreated further back to the hallway. "Why didn't you tell me?" Harry knew he sounded nearly pleading.  
  
"Potter." Familiar cold voice said. "For once, act according to your age and get to the office. If you stop that panicking, we all might get this over with today." Snape was giving him one of his death glares.   
  
It only made Harry more agitated. The man knew about this, kept it from him and now was assuming that he would just do what was told. This was his life, they had no right.   
  
"Right." He suddenly laughed. "I'm supposed to act to my age. Well, it isn't that easy when it is your own life that is in question. I remember you acting very according to your age few years back and that was just over something that was done right when you wanted it wrong!" Some little voice inside his head piped in, oddly sounding a lot like Hermione, saying that he shouldn't be talking like that to one of his professor, not here and not now but Harry squashed it. Snape was looking furious. The man didn't take it particularly well when he was reminded about the happenings of the night when Sirius escaped the kiss.  
  
"Be calm and reasonable and follow you blindly just like a sacrificial lamb. Stay quiet so that you can feed me more lies, if I don't agree maybe slip me some potion or spell that takes away my decision or put me in a position where I can't refuse?" Harry was half yelling while still taking steps backwards away from them all. "You promised not to do this anymore..." he half moaned and looked at Dumbledore.  
  
Albus was looking stressed and apologetic. Lucius Malfoy's eyebrows were raised and he turned to look questioningly at the older man. Clearly thinking about all the references to spells, potions and manipulations that Harry had mentioned.  
  
Suddenly everything seemed to be too much for Harry. He felt betrayed, manipulated and lonely. He thought he had proved himself time after time but obviously it wasn't enough. He was still treated as a child. They still didn't see him as nothing else than the savior of the wizarding world. They treated him like an object instead of a person. A chess piece that could voice out its opinion but still had to move where it was told.  
  
"Did you think that you could just say, 'Harry you're Malfoy's mate. You will spend the rest of your life with him, after you have done your duties with Voldemort and we have no interest on you no more.'? His voice was as icy it got.  
  
"Harry you know that is not true." Dumbledore tried to admonish him.  
  
"Oh yes, you would have put more words into it." He spat, feeling the anger still course through his veins.  
  
"Mr. Potter! Remember your manners and calm down. I know you figured this out in the worst possible moment but you are not being forced into anything. This matter just simply needs to be discussed." McGonagall corrected him in her usual stern way. The familiarity and reason there, made Harry calm down a bit but he was still angry and highly irritated.  
  
"I am most interested Harry, how did you managed to put this all together?" Dumbledore asked curiously, trying to ease the situation.  
  
Harry eyed him annoyed but finally answered, "Hermione."  
  
"Ah, I should have known. Ms. Granger's intuitive deduction abilities always seem to take us by surprise. And Professor McGonagall was telling the truth Harry. We haven't known about this for long and the only reason you weren't told before was because Mr. Malfoy wanted to do it himself. But he didn't seem to find a good moment and finally asked help. This isn't actually what we planned…" Dumbledore pointed around the corridor where they were still standing. Harry was starting to feel little embarrassed but then shook his head. He knew Dumbledore had a way with words.  
  
"Fine. Now I know. Can I be excused?" Harry said warily, trying to swallow his emotions to deal with them later.  
  
"I am afraid that there are few more details that we need to discuss about." Dumbledore said looking at Draco. Harry followed it and suddenly noticed that the silent blond was still there and was looking him achingly. "Maybe we should get back to my office?" Dumbledore was again ushering the others back up.  
  
Harry didn't move to follow and neither did Draco. They just looked at each others. Draco pleadingly and Harry without any emotion or expression.  
  
"Boys?" Someone asked and when nothing happened it was repeated. Dumbledore had turned back after few steps had sighed audibly. "Harry this isn't the best place to have this conversation. We will explain to you more about half-Veelas or Mr. Malfoy can do it if you prefer it that way. There are also few things we needed to ask you if you'd be willing to do." Harry looked up sharply and Dumbledore hastily rearranged his words. "You were right that you are the mate and we just need to make sure you understand the situation. There are a lot of ..."  
  
"Benefits and disadvantages." Harry filled the sentence for him.  
  
"Ms. Granger again?" Then Dumbledore shook his head and smiled. "She was right. But I doubt she had the time to explain you about the effects this has on the person that is the mate." Harry's look of surprise gave away the answer. "As the bond is finished, the souls seek to be more equal. Usually this means that some of the allurement transfers to the mate as well as some of the magical power. And likewise Mr. Malfoy will be in the receiving end of some of your abilities. And there are many things even before that."   
  
Harry looked doubtful. He really didn't see what was so good in that. He didn't want to attract any more attention nor did he want to even think about finishing any bond with Malfoy. Dumbledore seemed to sense this.  
  
"If you don't regard this as beneficial, you may find that you need this eventually Harry." The old man said gently but Harry noticed that he was, at least a little nervous about his extreme reactions to this whole conversation. "Voldemort is increasing his forces and powers any ways possible and he is after you. You should consider this turn of things to be good. You get more power and more secure hold of your magic..." Dumbledore haltered there and took a sharp intake of breath when he, too late, realized that he had messed up again. This clearly wasn't one of his best days.  
  
Harry's face had darkened while the old man spoke and now he looked totally enraged, again. Ready to yell but he seemed to be so angry that the words had left him. Finally he got it. "You think... How dare you suggest... I AM NOT LIKE HIM!" He roared. Then he looked around at them all, turned on his heels and marched away seething, leaving the others standing there more or less stunned.  
  
After he had turned the corner, Snape took a step down and turned to Albus. "I really must admire you headmaster." The dark man leaned to look at the direction where Potter had stormed before continuing, "even when you botch things up, you certainly do so with your usual thoroughness." Then he turned back and started to walk back upstairs.  
  
**  
  
*quote: The idea behind Snape's last line wasn't mine. As soon as I remember where I saw it, I'll tell you about it here.  
  
A/N. the chapter wanted to end here. I had more to say but it seems that there will be many more chapters to come than what I have anticipated, at least at this rate.  
  
UPDATE: 87% probability in two weeks, definitely on a Friday.  
  
Thanks to all who reviewed. You must know the effect of that :) I considered following the example of few authors and take the time to write your names down here but it would be just a list and not convey the gratitude I feel towards you. I'll probably keep on mailing you if I feel the need or find a way. Questions though are always welcome. I hope I have chosen some of the most beneficial ones to answer thus far.  
  
Q. You have messed up with the potion class. All those students you mentioned couldn't be on the newt group.  
  
A. So true, they aren't. The war has changed some things, one is that all the students now must take some subjects no matter if they got the owls or not. The newt classes are still valid and those include a small number of the most gifted students. The others just deepen their knowledge and practise. Harry isn't on potion newt class, nor is Ron or Neville or Dean.. The assignment forces them to make several small groups, all including one student from the newt class and one/two/three from the normal class.  
  
Q. I hope you have a new way to let Harry know he is the mate. Not the normal meeting at Dumbledore's office.  
  
A. It seems that I'm not that clever *sighs* I wish I was. I thought it could've been announced at the great hall or that Draco would have done it. Or that Harry would accidentally hear about it, one scenario even held a scene where Harry drops in the lake, but none of those felt right. I like to have some reality involved in this and in a school the headmaster is the one that does these things. He can also make them share rooms like I want and Draco needs to. Headmaster's office though isn't necessary but I like the gargoyle.  
  
Q. You aren't planning to make Harry fall for Draco immediately, aren't you? You better not..  
  
A. Nope. Never really saw the point doing it that way. I hope this story will have many more aspects than just Harry – Draco things.  
  
Q. Will Severus like Harry and other OOC things.  
  
A. Snape is such a huge character but he just doesn't like Harry. The man is too stubborn and proud. I would like to think that some of these people are like they're suppose to be and if they aren't… Don't stress about it, I don't. This happens two years after Ootp, they have time to change. And about Draco being just plain weird.. well I try to do it so that he's weird just towards Harry and still a Malfoy we know to the rest.  
  
Q. You damn copycatter you..  
  
A. Thanks for the review in any case. I've read dozens of stories and some little things just stay in my head. I try not to put them here consciously, though the first person I admit using is of course JKR. I like to give the credit where it is due, only the way I write and move this story on is mine. If the plot feels too similar, please leave the name of the other story. Maybe I haven't read that one yet and it's bound to be good. If the plot is too dull and feels like nothing happens.. damn, I've failed as a writer. *mentally cursing all the adrenaline junkies out there.* .. just kidding :) (I'm not really in a right to mode to write these things today. 0,1% sarcastic and having too much fun.)  
  
Q. Have you forgotten the animagus part. I hope Harry is a Griffin, it would fit.  
  
A. No, I still remember. It will play an important part later. I admit, Griffins have beneficial sides in them but you'll see.  
  
Q. The Dursley's? You aren't letting them get away just like that, are you?  
  
A. No. :) I have this little evil, evil part in me that's charcoal black and enjoys plotting all the marvellous things that a wrath of a Veela can do. You are welcome to suggest things though I believe I'm currently going at number 102 on my list 'how to torture the Dursleys'.  
  
Q. Snogging? .. snoGGing? SnOgGiNG? Any.. coming soon?   
  
A. I'm a little lost here.. .. Ah, you mean snogging! I'm so slow today but if you are talking about that thing where Draco's eyes finally manage to catch Harry's undivided attention so that he can't look away. Then Draco would perhaps lean a little closer so that Harry could feel his tickling breath in his neck and close his eyes, only concentrating on that particular feeling. Then Draco would lightly follow Harry's jaw line with his fingers and then that little innocent touch would suddenly sent sparks down their spines, making Harry open his mouth just that one crucial bit. Then Draco would lift his head and close the final little distance and press his lips on Harry's. First, ever so lightly and sweetly. Then finding the courage to add more pressure and maybe lick his lower lip some. Then let his hand ascend to Harry's hip and hear the breath hitch momentarily when he would take a firmer grip and draw Harry in a tight embrace. Harry would realise the moan had come from him when Draco would suck his neck, just there where his pulse throbs. Then they would take.. Yeah, THAT would be coming soon. I need to practise first though and find more educational material to read from here ;)   
  
Q?. I love your story.  
  
A. Thank you, so do I. (I know I'm egocentric and selfish .. shell fish. Heh! Contrary to what must be the popular belief by now: No, I am not drunk and Yes, I know I'm not that funny. That's why I'm stopping now.) 


	10. The faults we have

Disclaimer: None of it is mine. I only borrow them for a while and I'm not earning a cent. Frizzy writes marvellous fanfiction describing Draco as a veela. (Rowling: Harry Potter books, Frizzy: Magnetic Attraction)  
  
Summary: DM/HP During the summer, before their last year in school starts, Draco Malfoy's Veela heritage is awoken. He's searching his mate and that leads him to the most unsuspected target. A hard and difficult one too.   
  
************ The veela allurement ************  
  
Ch10 The faults we have  
  
Harry was absolutely seething and walking didn't seem to alleviate his mood at all. He wanted to see Hermione and Ron but couldn't just yet. He had to calm down before talking to them. In his current state he would probably anger them too.  
  
He couldn't believe that the headmaster had thought that he would act like Voldemort. How could Dumbledore possibly believe that he would be anything like the monster that had killed his parents. The fact that the old man obviously did and even had had the nerve to say it aloud was most unsettling.   
  
Harry didn't remember ever wanting anything remotely similar what he imagined Voldemort did. He didn't want to purify the magical community nor in any way harm the muggles, who he didn't regard as being inferior to him. Neither did he have any need or want to rule over anything else besides his own life. He didn't want the world and he certainly did not want more power like Dumbledore had suggested.  
  
In his second year the headmaster himself had said that it was the choices that made people who they were, defined them and Harry thought he had chosen quite differently compared to Voldemort. Didn't the old man trust him at all?  
  
Dumbledore's assumption had just been the final drop tonight. There was also the fact that everyone had known about this mate thing and had deliberately kept it from him until they had planned the best way to throw it on him in order to achieve what ever they wanted from it without considering him at all.  
  
Harry was starting to see some reason behind it but he still didn't understand why they had chosen to do it this way. He would've understood if the headmaster or McGonagall would have spoken to him alone and explained it if Malfoy was unable to. But this sort of gathering was done only in order to pressure him into something he wouldn't want to do.  
  
'Malfoy must be having a field day,' Harry thought miserably and some little voice was cheering in his head.   
  
'Both Malfoy's actually,' he added to that but couldn't help but remember Malfoy's sad and pleading face. Few expressions he had never expected to see on him.  
  
He had been tired of Malfoy and this never-ending quarrel between them for a long time now and he had even occasionally wanted to tell Ron to shut up when all his friend did was ramble over something the Slytherin had done. It was childish and served no purpose but that was the very reason that always stopped him from doing that.   
  
Ron had every right to be childish and worry about such things. Ron didn't see nightmares nearly every night or have visions that would make anyone feel sick. Ron wasn't expected to fight against Voldemort nor was he burdened with the expectations of being a hero or the hope of the wizarding world since he was one. And Harry had no right to change that just because he happened to be in that position.  
  
He had had some serious issues with Malfoy over these years but mostly it was over pride or hurt pride or just for fun and sometimes, over the need to hurt the other just like they had been hurt. But it had never been because someone was killed or because the most precious thing to them had been shattered and their world in ruins.   
  
There had been few narrow escapes like when Malfoy's father had been put into prison and Harry had been somewhat guilty for it. But it didn't cross the line as Lucius Malfoy wriggled himself out of there in a few months and he had even done it seemingly legally.   
  
Now this Veela thing had turned everything upside down. The only thing that made any sense was that Draco Malfoy was a half-Veela and even that was bordering the line. The idea that he was Malfoy's mate, a boy and a Gryffindor, was simply not possible. As far as Harry saw it, there could have happened a mistake. Maybe it would blow over if he just waited and stayed far away. He had enough of other things to worry about.   
  
Harry drew a deep breath and stood up. The lake looked magnificent, shimmering in the night. He had purposely chosen a spot that couldn't be seen from headmaster's office. Harry kicked a rock in the lake and looked the rings spread over the water.  
  
All this sneaking behind his back really frustrated him up to no end, especially when he knew his hands were tied no matter what Dumbledore and his little crew did. He knew that they could just ignore his feelings and outburst over this. Besides declining what ever it was they wanted, the most he could do to protest was to refuse speaking to them and maybe refuse to join the order if he was ever asked but nothing more. He knew that the ministry wasn't the main force fighting for the light in this war. Eventually it might be up to him to fight against Voldemort directly and he knew he couldn't get there alone. Though Dumbledore always praised the freedom of choice, in reality Harry knew he had none.   
  
Dumbledore was an irritating, manipulative old badger whose nose you hardly noticed sticking into your business before it was way too late, but he wasn't just that. Dumbledore was also an old man, wise, powerful, firmly in the side of light, good strategic, irreplaceable and no matter how it seemed Harry knew the headmaster cared. Nothing was ever plain black and white.   
  
He felt loyalty to the man and respected him despite everything. He had realized long time ago that Dumbledore wasn't omnipotent but only one man and he had liked him even more because of that, though at the very time it happened, it also made him hate the man more.   
  
In many ways Albus Dumbledore was very much alike Harry Potter, the boy-who-lived. Very few knew the real person behind the name and Harry hadn't figured it out yet if Dumbledore had wanted to become what he was today or not. He might have been forced to be what he was by fate, just as he himself was.  
  
Harry sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He would go in now and maybe explain, at least some of this mess to Hermione and Ron. He would stay angry at the headmaster and the others, though when Snape was in question, it was nothing new. He would wait and see what would happen tomorrow. At least that was still a luxury he had.  
  
He hated this rational side of himself. Hermione had to have something to do with it or maybe he was just growing up like Sirius had mockingly put it.   
  
'God, I hope he and Moony will come soon,' Harry thought while he walked back to the castle much calmer.  
  
**  
  
Monday morning didn't start well to most of the students at Hogwarts. A small assortment of people was extremely edgy and it seemed to be contagious. Draco Malfoy was infuriated, for reasons unknown but he actually yelled other Slytherins, who soon saw it best to stay well out of his way.   
  
During breakfast it became obvious that it might have something to do with the Gryffindor golden trio as they were not talking to each others either. It was highly unlikely that these things weren't related.  
  
The head girl was apparently fighting with her boyfriend and they were snapping at each others over the head of Harry Potter. The head boy didn't seem to notice this as he clearly wasn't talking to either one of his friends but rather acted like they didn't exist.  
  
The storm's first victim was Ginny Weasley, who only exchanged few words with the trio and then left the Great hall in hurry and looking very pink. She nearly ran over Professor Snape at the doors but to everyone's amazement the man merely reprimanded her, a Gryffindor, about the tendency of her house to do this to him and that if it was a plan of some sort, the planners would severely regret it.   
  
After that, the gloomy man walked up to his seat at the head table, looked around and smiled. That unnerved many people and everyone felt sorry for those who would have potions that day.  
  
The headmaster didn't came to breakfast but Professor's Snape and McGonagall must have had an interesting conversation because they both left the hall early with only half eaten breakfast's and cheeks tinted with red.  
  
By that time Slytherins and Gryffindors had already lost quite a few points, Pansy Parkinson had made a scene in which she yelled at Draco Malfoy and poured her pumpkin juice all over Blaize Zabini's lap before also exiting the hall.  
  
So Slytherins and Gryffindors walked around cautiously the whole day and later that just made them cranky. The Hufflepuffs merely sympathized with them and while trying to cheer up some of their friends in the other houses, got their share of the day's mood. The only one's mostly unaffected were the Ravenclaws but only because they decided to stick to themselves for the day.   
  
**  
  
The potion classroom was especially crammed that morning as most of the newt group was also there. It was time to get the ingredients for the assignments and everyone was shuffling around. Luckily not many groups had both Gryffindors and Slytherins but the overall mood of the day didn't help the situation at all. Only the fear of Snape held everyone's tongues back.  
  
The oily Professor had already meticulously explained about the seriousness of this experiment as well as that most of the ingredients were restricted never to leave the dungeons, no matter the circumstances. The elves had prepared three unused classrooms for the students to use and every group had their own locked cabin where to store their things. They were free to handle the ingredients but the time of the actual brewing had to be informed to Professor Snape days ahead.  
  
"You are not to change your room with another group. Some of these potions will develop fumes which will be harmful if combined with other potions and I expect that I don't need to point out that no ingredients, no matter how much they are the same, are to be swapped. Try not to spoil them because there won't be more and that would also result in a fail. Do believe me when I say that it will show in your marks clearly. I also hope I am making it clear enough that these potions aren't neither useless when ready or harmless while in making. I want detailed brewing diaries from every single…" Snape's lecture was interrupted by a knock from the door.   
  
It opened to reveal Professor McGonagall. "Excuse me Professor Snape but I would need to borrow Mr. Potter as soon as possible," she said and then judgingly looked at the somewhat unorganized and crowded room.   
  
Snape glared them all to sit quietly like mice and after a short discussion over the heads of the students it was clear to all that Harry Potter would be leaving this class just as Snape was finished with explaining this important assignment and all the requirements it held.   
  
Fifteen minutes later Snape somewhat grudgingly ordered Harry to get out of his sight.  
  
Harry couldn't read anything from McGonagall's face but suspected that this would be about yesterday. He closed the door behind him hunching a little and then resumed to follow after her. They walked up to the entrance hall and from there they continued the marble staircase to the first floor and further along the hallway until they arrived in McGonagall's office.  
  
Harry had been there only few times but it seemed just as unchanged as the headmaster's office always was. There weren't many things nor was it in Gryffindor color but it was cozy. Everything was very clean and in order. The furniture was finely shaped and seemed old but in a transfiguration teacher's office you really couldn't tell.  
  
She pointed a chair at him and obediently Harry sat down. At least this time there was no gathering in the room and Harry remembered that she was the only one looking somewhat uncomfortable and guilty last night. That made him a little less tense and he actually started to wait what she had to say.  
  
"Mr. Potter, I invited you here to continue the discussion from last night." That point her voice took a more disapproving tone, "I admit you had reason to feel upset but I must say that I didn't expect that sort of behavior from you and I certainly expect you to control your emotions in the future."   
  
She looked him sternly and Harry wanted to say something for his behalf, explain, accuse her in return, ask questions that had been on his mind since yesterday, but he chose not to. He only nodded and looked back at her.  
  
McGonagall's face softened a little like she was approving his answer or the lack of it. Then she continued, "I was asked to relay the headmaster's apology. I am sure Albus will repeat it as soon as he will get a change to, as his behavior wasn't that impeccable either. And Harry…" she leaned a bit forward in her chair while considering what she was about to say.  
  
"I know about the many burdens you bear and while I might add more by what I am about to say, it might also ease them. As you are aware, Mr. Malfoy is a half-Veela and you are his mate. This can not be overlooked or changed in any way." McGonagall stood up and went to the bookshelf on the left wall.   
  
She was running her fingers over many worn books while she continued. "Veelas mate for life and they have no control over who their perfect mate is, that is if they are lucky enough to have one. But the lack of choice doesn't matter as the mate is perfect for them just like the Veela is perfect to the mate. The only perfect one." She took a thin white book and returned to her chair.   
  
"I am aware of what happened between you and Ms. Corneman last year Harry. Though you students think that we teachers are blind when it comes to other things than your academical success or that we just don't care, but we do. I look after my students from when they arrive here as children until I see them leave nearly as adults and in many cases even after that. I can only advice with the experience I have that you shouldn't let what happened to deprive you from having other relationships."  
  
Harry tried not to let the thoughts about the graduated Ravenclaw bother him but it was still somewhat painful. After all it had included one of the most embarrassing moments of his life thus far, not to mention that it had deep down also scratched his heart. He looked at the Professor on the other side of the table and bit his teeth together. He certainly didn't want to have a discussion about this with her and thankfully McGonagall seemed to take the hint.  
  
"Harry, I would like to know what are your thoughts about last night and particularly on Mr. Malfoy?" She looked at him over her glasses.  
  
Slowly Harry started to speak. "I didn't like the way it all was tried to push on me and Malfoy… Professor, I still find it a little hard to believe that I would be his mate. I mean we are two totally different persons. Frankly I don't see how we could be perfect to each others." Now he had finally got out the basic question that had been nagging him during the whole night and Harry surely hoped to get an answer.  
  
"In your case, I would say that it is the opposites that complements each others but I am also sure that there is more to be discovered," McGonagall said now smiling a little.   
  
"But how… I don't like him and he certainly didn't like me before," Harry blurted out.  
  
"It is in the very nature of the Veelas that causes that Harry. The animosity between you two was mostly due to your differences. You both have very different backgrounds and upbringings, not to mention that as Slytherins and Gryffindors you have very different ways of looking life and that can cause disagreements. But those two views can also get along and even more than that. One point of view isn't necessarily more right than the other. For example, I have known Professor Snape for a long time. Since he was a student here actually and he has many qualities that make him a Slytherin. Despite of that we come along well as colleagues and some times I might even describe us as friends."   
  
McGonagall looked at him searchingly before continuing, "We all have a little of every house in us and I do believe you can find the middle ground with Mr. Malfoy if you try. You two hardly know each others at all besides from one angle."  
  
Harry did see the truth in that and if the one short moment in his life had gone differently, he would have ended up Slytherin and this conversation would never be held. But his question was still valid.  
  
"I just don't see that I would ever want to share my life with Malfoy," Harry retorted but it didn't have the wanted effect on McGonagall.  
  
"I understand you but try to look at this from his point of view too. Veela's mate for life and they can't choose who ever they want to. Mr. Malfoy will not ever find another mate or be satisfied with any one else but you Harry. I know it sounds pressing but the lighter side of this is that that kind of love is more or less perfect. It is regarded well worth the effort and from now on, if you haven't already noticed, Mr. Malfoy will not ever deliberately seek to hurt you but rather to please you in any way possible. It is not that he is changed but rather that he is changing himself. It is going to be hard for him in many ways and I do hope that you will not make it more harder than necessary." She looked at him warningly and though Harry would never expect Malfoy to behave civilly towards him if the tables were turned, but some little part in his conscience nagged that he shouldn't be unfair.  
  
"You will also find when you learn more the Veela's that they are very dependant on their mates if they find one. And I don't mean only physically but also mentally. As time passes the unmated Veela sinks into depression and grief. Eventually, when they loose all interest in life, they let it slip through them and they will die," McGonagall kept a long, meaningful silence after that. "I do hope you understand a little better now Harry. This all isn't done just to please some whim but because a student really is in danger."  
  
She let him thought about it for a while and Harry had to admit that a lot was always done for the students in Hogwarts. He knew about several examples even if he didn't count everything in which he was involved. Like when his parents had gone there, the shrieking shack was made as well as the tunnel from there in order to ensure that Remus would cope with his lycantrophy. Then there was of course Hagrid though he hadn't been allowed to stay as a student, but all in all naturally there would be special arrangements for Veela's too.  
  
"No one wants to push you into anything Harry," McGonagall continued, "though there is all this talk about mate's but that is in a longer time frame. Last night we mainly wanted to ask whether you would be willing to ease Mr. Malfoy's life a little. He is in somewhat of a distress over this and very confused. Just to get things a little more under control, we thought that you would agree to share your rooms with him."   
  
Harry's head shot up. Didn't she say that they weren't asking much?!   
  
Clearly McGonagall noticed his expression and interpreted it right. "Rooms as in plural Mr. Potter."  
  
Harry felt the blush rise on his cheeks and McGonagall coughed a bit.  
  
"The mere closeness would ease Mr. Malfoy's state greatly and with time you might see some of those things you have in common and perhaps even become friends."  
  
Harry didn't feel him self warming to that idea and then another thought came to him and he frowned.  
  
"Professor, Lucius Malfoy was there yesterday. What did he think about all this?" '…and particularly when it came to Voldemort,' Harry wanted to add aloud but instead he left it hanging in the air. There was always the chance that this was all a plot to get to him again.  
  
"As far as I was able to deduct, he thinks his son's happiness and well being first. Other possible problems will be handled when they arise but those are for Mr. Malfoy's to handle and him only. I am certain that family comes to him first." Harry saw that it was what McGonagall hoped but couldn't be certain.  
  
After thinking again for a while, Harry said, "I'm sorry Professor but I can't do this."   
  
As McGonagall looked somewhat surprised, Harry rushed to explain. "There are too many reasons not to do it. Not even something as simple as to share rooms with Malfoy. Even if I wouldn't count the obvious reasons like that he is a Slytherin and an annoying prat or all the things his last name causes, there are plenty of others, much more serious." Harry kept a pause to find the right way to put his words.   
  
"Everyone around me are in danger. Everyone I care about are on Voldemorts target list because they would be a way to get me. As long as nothing links Malfoy to me, Voldemort will have no more interest on him. I don't want more people to get hurt because of me and it's not just Malfoy but what if this is a plot? Malfoy might be involved or not but it still would be the perfect way to get the people around me or some information we have. How could anyone be sure where his loyalties lie?" It was like a dam had burst inside him. All the things were linked to each others and the further Harry thought, the more came out.  
  
"I'm not even sure that this love thing is real. How could it be when I was chosen just by scent. Even if we are thinking about Malfoy's well being, he surely has a longer life expectancy than I have, because if I got it right, he will die with me if we are close enough. Not to mention other practical things like that this year we have our NEWTs. I'm not sure if I have time for new friends, not to mention what my old ones would say about this. I don't want to loose Hermione and Ron over this which I certainly would do if Malfoy hangs around all the time and insults them." There was long silence after that while Harry looked at his Professor a little warily but she on the other hand seemed to be deeply in thoughts.   
  
Finally she pushed the book she still had over the table to him. "This a good book about Veelas and their mates. I suggest you have a look because you will find some answers there. You had many good questions, even some that we didn't come up with the headmaster and Professor Snape and I am glad to see that you aren't rushing into things, in one way or another." McGonagall looked a little tired and suddenly Harry regretted that he had made this more difficult on her. He just really didn't want this.  
  
"It is not right that someone of your age should be vary of having friends because they would be placed in life threatening positions, but you are right to be cautious. You also need to remember that your friends aren't in danger just because of you. I suppose you were referring to the Weasley's, Ms. Granger, your godfather and Mr. Lupin and perhaps to some of your other school friends?"   
  
Harry nodded.  
  
"The Weasley's have always been a prominent light family and as Arthur is working in the ministry and his involvement in the order is well known, which applies to the rest of the family also, they are all naturally You-know-who's enemies. Ms. Granger is a muggle born witch and that is sadly enough to place her in danger during these times. Your godfather and Remus have a whole history of their own with the dark side in which you play a very little role Harry. And most of your school friends belong to the families on the light side as well. Just because they know you, isn't the only reason they are in danger."   
  
McGonagall leaned back into her chair as she continued, "what comes to your other concerns on Mr. Malfoy… well all I can do is to repeat that it is in the very nature of a Veela to protect their mate in any way possible. I very much doubt that Mr. Malfoy would be involved in any plotting against you and what comes to the bond between you… your death would effect Mr. Malfoy like you described but the alternative for a Veela, to remain after their mate, is not pleasant. Some might say worse than death." She was looking at him very seriously again and Harry wanted to fidget.  
  
Eventually, when she was sure the point had come across, she continued, "All the teachers know about the situation and will be understanding about it. Times are very unstable for us all and I would hope that this might actually save you time rather than use it. You could help each others to prepare and understand things. I am sure Albus will be making that more clearer later and I would give the benefit of doubt for your friends Harry. Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger will understand and they won't abandon you so easily. That has been proved far too many times for my tastes. You could always talk about this with Mr. Malfoy. Then you could also ask him about the other things you are concerned about. So I ask you again if you would consider sharing rooms with Mr. Malfoy?"  
  
Harry was silent for a long while. He was trying to take everything in consideration but it was different to talk about it than actually do it. Though McGonagall had had many answers and he was the head boy but still it nagged inside his head that it wasn't safe nor worth the trouble. He was already spending time with Malfoy in classes and they had homework to do together.  
  
So Harry answered her, apologizingly, "Professor… I really don't think I can. Everyone would eventually realize what it would mean and Malfoy is still more safe when he isn't linked to me in any way."   
  
McGonagall looked a little disappointed but she nodded that she understood. Then she escorted him to the door.  
  
After Harry had left, Minerva sighed and rubbed her temple. She hadn't thought this to be this hard and what was worse, Harry had a point. She stood up and went to her fireplace and threw a pinch of green powder in the flames. Soon Albus' head popped there and she could just see the question already. Really he was far too curious for his own good.  
  
"Harry refused Albus. I wasn't able to convince him," she just said.  
  
The was a slight frown on the man's face but soon it was gone and the familiar sparkle was as good as ever in his eyes. "Maybe we can try something else then," Albus commented and Minerva didn't like his happy face at all.  
  
**  
  
Draco couldn't wait any longer. He had to see Harry and try to explain. He hadn't wanted anything like last night to happen and he had this odd clutching fear around his heart that maybe Harry was so angry that he would totally refuse to have anything to do with him anymore.  
  
The pillow in his room had become an undistinguished lump by now. It was frustrating that he seemed to do everything wrong and it was getting on his pride severely. The detention had failed, all his attempts to befriend the Gryffindor hadn't done any good and now there was also the fiasco last night.   
  
The headmaster had tried to encourage him by saying that he might just come up with something but really, the old dunderhead had thoroughly messed things up yesterday and if all his attempts would be similar… No, Draco wouldn't be putting a lot hope into that. And that was the reason he would be skipping his last defense class today as Harry would be having a free period.   
  
As the last part of the lessons was about to begin, Draco signed to Pansy to cover for him while he imperceptibly headed towards the classroom door. The rest of the class were practicing on a spell and the Ravenclaws were, as usual, hoarding all the teachers attention with their endless questions and that suited Draco just fine. Soundlessly he opened the door and ran off towards the dungeons without anyone noticing.  
  
When he arrived in front of the potions classroom Gryffindors were just filing out. Noticing Weasley's red head wasn't hard and usually Harry was found close by. To his amazement that was not the case this time and finally Draco was standing in the empty hall.  
  
As Harry hadn't come out, he had to still be inside and Draco peeked into the room but only saw his godfather collecting papers from his desk. "Sev, where's Harry?" he asked frowning and just a little worried.  
  
His godfather looked up and aimed a very murderous glare at his direction but Draco was more or less used to those. He only wandered in and went to help with the papers and hoping to get an answer soon.  
  
Draco piled parchments over parchments but it seemed that this time the homework had had too long requirements. The rolls just kept on sliding back to the floor, which only served to make Severus even more grumpy.   
  
"If they all weren't so stupid, I wouldn't need to make them do these pitiful excuses for a homework and I would be spared of dragging them around. And they still do not learn anything, blockheads…" the rest of the mutter was buried but Draco guessed it carried on much the same.  
  
Not that he didn't sympathize with that problem… and actually as he didn't, Draco just sighed audibly and asked again, "Harry was suppose to be here but he didn't come out. Wasn't he here at all because I saw him during breakfast?"  
  
"Your precious Potter walked off in the middle of the class with his head of the house. He is probably having a lecture about yesterday but Minerva will of course let it all slide. No sense of discipline, just like I said to her earlier today…"  
  
But Draco was already heading towards the door and nearly ran straight into Dumbledore.  
  
"Ah, I was lucky enough to catch you Severus," the headmaster looked around and locked his eyes at Draco, "but then again Mr. Malfoy will do as well as you seem to be busy. Going to your office?" Dumbledore lightly asked while stepping in the room.  
  
"What do you want with him. Don't you dare to put any foolish ideas in his head Albus," Severus said warningly and was glaring the man with distrust.   
  
"Severus!" Albus said in a mockingly shocked voice, "when have you ever caught me doing such a thing?" All the while Albus was directing Severus to the door and picking up the papers that were dropping from the pile in the potion Professor's hands.  
  
Severus only snorted unbelievingly while taking the papers. Albus gave him the last nudge on the back to push him outside the door before adding, "besides they aren't foolish."  
  
There surely was an enraged and well phrased reply coming to that but it was not heard through the door which Albus determinately closed. Then he corrected his glasses a little and strolled back to Draco.  
  
Draco was warily eyeing the man that sat down on a desk in the middle of the room. He didn't like people who smiled that way or who were as unstable as this.  
  
"I was just coming to inform Severus and you that Professor McGonagall had a talk with Harry about what we were going to explain him last night and that he agreed with her in many points." Dumbledore said while he was digging a pocket in his robes.  
  
Draco was feeling slightly positive but everything that started like that, usually had a 'but' coming and he wasn't wrong.  
  
As Dumbledore found what he was looking for, a small green box, he continued, "but Harry is also very perceptive and I am afraid he had few very good reasons for not to come along with our plan."  
  
Draco felt his shoulders to hunch. He shouldn't have expected anything else after all this mess.  
  
"The brighter side is that those reasons aren't impossible to overcome."   
  
Draco hated the man even more but at the moment he didn't care because he clearly had things to do today. If only the man would spit it out already.  
  
"Harry is a bit of protective over people and that seems to also include you Mr. Malfoy. He thought that if this all would be kept as a secret, then Voldemort couldn't learn about it and cause harm either to you or to him or to any one around and I must say that is a very good point."  
  
Draco was surprised by the reason. He had expected a blatant refusal that could still be handled somehow or some sort of special demand from him or about the rooms but not this. When it sank in, he felt a wave of happiness to disperse the heavy feeling that he had dragged with him for days.  
  
Then he frowned and looked questioningly back at the old man, "if Harry wants to keep things unchanged and if he isn't forced into this then how…?"  
  
"I would agree with Harry if the situation was in any way different Mr. Malfoy," Dumbledore suddenly said much more seriously, "but as it is what it is, I can only say that I don't see Harry's reasons to change even if the situation would and that is something we can be done."  
  
It didn't seem to make any sense to Draco and he was getting frustrated at his confusion but as no more explanations seemed to be coming, he sat down too to think. Soon a dawning understanding came to him and he flicked his head up to stare at the old man. Had he just been given an answer to something he had never even asked.  
  
Without delay he rushed to the door, going through everything he would need to do today but just before he left the room, he turned to look back. Dumbledore was still sitting in the middle of the room looking around with interest and Draco was sure Severus would be mentioned something utterly pointless about his classroom next time they met. Ever so slowly his mouth formed a devious smile and then he was off.  
  
Before dinner that night he sent off two owls in a hurry. After that nothing was able to spoil his mood. Not even the highly flammable atmosphere around.   
  
**  
  
Next morning Harry was running to breakfast. He had slept badly and would be late for charms if he didn't hurry. But he halted his steps as soon as he got into the great hall. It had been buzzing with noise but when he arrived, it became ominously silent.   
  
He was looking around warily as everyone's eyes were drawn to him like a magnet. Very conscious about the stares, he walked to his seat just to see Hermione and Ron looking at him also but they were more worried. Hermione had a Daily Prophet in her hands and trepidation filled Harry.  
  
He didn't know what it was but he was sure he wouldn't like seeing it. While he sat down he silently took the Daily Prophet Hermione was offering him and rolled the paper out. A stone sunk low into his stomach. The head line was filling the whole first page announcing, 'A True Love Story?: The-boy-who-lived involved with a Veela!'  
  
**  
  
A/N. Update, hopefully in two weeks. I need a little brake because school is demanding more and more attention. A smile and a thank you for every review :) and just in case the update doesn't appear in two weeks, just leave your e-mail address and I will see that you are informed when it finally is up. 


	11. Wrinkles in the mattress

Disclaimer: None of it is mine. I only borrow them for a while and I'm not earning a cent. Frizzy writes marvellous fanfiction describing Draco as a veela. (Rowling: Harry Potter books, Frizzy: Magnetic Attraction)  
  
Summary: DM/HP During the summer, before their last year in school starts, Draco Malfoy's Veela heritage is awoken. He's searching his mate and that leads him to the most unsuspected target. A hard and difficult one too.   
  
************ The veela allurement ************  
  
Ch11 Wrinkles in the mattress  
  
A TRUE LOVE STORY?: THE BOY-WHO-LIVED INVOLVED WITH A VEELA!  
  
It has come to the public knowledge that there is indeed a secret Veela romance going on at Hogwarts. Between none other than the current head boy Mr. Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived and the Malfoy heir and a half-Veela, Mr. Draco Malfoy whose family is well known for their philanthropy . The aristocrat must have come to his heritage over last summer and has since been looking for his mate, very possibly his perfect mate, as this reporter was able to find out that young Mr. Malfoy has been travelling around the whole summer and thus must have been feeling the pull. This of course brings us to the decision that the Boy-Who-Lived is permanently off the market but that probably will not be bothering him as he has in terms, hit the jackpot.  
  
To anyone who doesn't remember the famous Veela-trial about ten years ago concerning a half-Veela Ms. Saturnia Cypress and her mate, there are two kind of mates for Veelas...  
  
Harry lowered the paper on the table before even finishing the article. He could clearly feel a faint throbbing coming from the back of his head as a sure sign of a starting headache. He knew he should just give the paper back to Hermione and continue his breakfast like nothing had happened, like he didn't care the least. That way some might forget the article sooner but he just couldn't force himself to do that.  
  
The sinking feeling was still there and he could just see how his life would be from here. The reporters coming from no where, his friends asking many questions and how their reactions would be. Not to mention the constant feeling of danger. Why couldn't anything happen to him without it being the front page news?  
  
Harry sighed and looked around. It was just like he had imagined. Everyone was looking at him though no one directly. Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables were talking silently and none of the usual chatter was on. Most of the Slytherins looked plain hostile and didn't have any qualms about making it known to him. His own house was divided between curiosity and awkwardness.   
  
Harry even knew the main directions of their thouths. First they would remember that he was a parselmouth, then how his brains were rumoured to be softened by his scar and eveyone still vividly remembered last year and Azkaban. To top all that, now he was the mate of a Slytherin Veela. He just didn't understand why everyone always expected him to be the perfect Gryffindor? He just let them down everytime.  
  
"Harry? ..." asked Hermione carefully next to him. "Is it... true? It is, isn't it?"  
  
He looked at her apologetcally. He hadn't found the time to tell his friends or more truthfully, he hadn't even tried that hard because then this whole thing would feel too true and set in stone. In any case his friends didn't know and now had found out by reading it from the paper. Some friend he was.  
  
To his defence, Hermione and Ron had been sleeping already when he had returned from his 'chat' with the headmaster and yesterday those two had argued the whole day, ending in not talking to each others. He had very little hope to tell them when they didn't want to listen, only rant him about how impossible the other was.  
  
Harry looked at Ron and felt the stone in his stomach dig a hole in it and hit his toes. Ron was sneering and had backed away a seat from him. Currently he was looking from the article to him in a way like he thought that they both were something disgusting.  
  
...Mr. Potter has always kept a tight lit on his datings but we can all remember that he has been rumoured to be romantically involved at least with one of his best friends, a muggle-born witch Ms. Hermione Granger and last year he was seen several times on a date with Ms. Corneman, a Ravenclaw chaser. Mr. Malfoy on the other hand has been seen in numerous balls along the years with several different dates.  
  
Though one might wonder why hasn't this relationship been announced sooner, the Veela's possessive nature must be counted for a reason as well as Mr. Potter's well-known habit for privacy. But you can rest assured that this reporter will be following the advancing of the matter, though thus far neither of the young men have been available for an interview, probably enjoying each others company far too much...  
  
The rest of the article looked like it was laughing at him and his pitiful excuses. Harry fleetingly looked at it and then Ron again.   
  
"They told me about it on Sunday, or tried to. Yesterday McGonagall..." Harry started but Ron didn't let him finish.  
  
"You knew about it on Sunday and clearly it was not worth of telling us, was it? I can't believe you Harry! After all the talk about Malfoy being a Veela. I said he would try something, didn't I and now he has you!" After saying that Ron seemed a little loss for words. Maybe because he was too angry to speak or because of something else, Harry didn't quite know but in any case Ron stomped off looking very red.  
  
Harry looked at Hermione helplessly. She didn't exactly look like the epitome of understanding either but at least she wasn't angry.  
  
"Don't worry about it Harry. I'll talk to him and find out what he's on about," she finally sighed. "And could we just leave here and maybe go somewhere so that you could at least fill me in?"   
  
Harry nodded gratefully and Hermione took few sandwiches with her so that they wouldn't miss the breakfast totally.  
  
On their way out Harry noticed the other party of the article coming in and immediately Malfoy stopped and looked at him. Harry didn't know what to make out of it but then the blond just continued his walk to his table, all the while keeping his eyes on him.  
  
Clearly that was enough for the Slytherins as Harry wasn't the only one being shunned today. Some of them only shrugged at Malfoy when he asked them to make room for him and then plainly ignored him. That was when Harry lost his sight of the blond because he was out off the hall with Hermione.  
  
They walked up to his rooms in silence and there Hermione took a seat on the couch and expectantly looked at him. Harry didn't know where to start.  
  
She seemed to sense this and asked the first question, "What did happen on Sunday Harry? I'm sorry not to ask you this sooner because of that silly disagreement I had with Ron. I can't believe I didn't notice anything wrong with you. It must've been horrible..." Hermione was wringing her fingers.  
  
"It's not your fault Hermione. I could've made you listen very easily. It's just that I don't quite know what to think about it myself." Harry ran a hand through his hair, making it stay even more messed than it usually was in the mornings. "Besides it wasn't like I wanted to tell you about Sunday..."  
  
Hermione was looking at him curiously.  
  
"I yelled at the headmaster," Harry said and slumped down on the plushy armchair.  
  
Hermione's breathing hitched, "Harry, you didn't!"  
  
"I did and McGonagall too..." Harry continued.  
  
Hermione took another sharp intake of breath and her eyes got rounder.  
  
"Not to mention what I said to Snape. It was something about him acting childish back in our third year when Sirius escaped the kiss."  
  
Harry had to smile a little when Hermione winced. She would pass out if she didn't start breathing normally soon. He could see the different feelings crossing her face, disbelief, shock, curiosity and then she set on thinking deeply.  
  
"Harry," she finally said, "you have to tell me. Not just because I'm your friend but as a head girl I need to know if I need to be angry at them too." Then she smiled, reminding Harry that he had the two best friends in the world, though at the moment he didn't know about the other one.  
  
"If I start when I rushed out of here. Maybe you didn't notice but I was late," Harry begun.  
  
Hermione gave him a look that 'oh yes, I noticed...'  
  
"I found Malfoy standing outside the gargoyle. He looked surprised to see me and I started talking to him, just to find out if he knew what the meeting was all about. Soon something clicked. About the Gryffindor mate and that he had kissed me..." Harry looked meaningfully at Hermione.  
  
She moaned in disappointment, "I can't believe I didn't pick up on that. Not even after all the ranting Ron did."  
  
"Neither did I before that and just after the realisation the gargoyle jumped aside. Dumbledore was there with McGonagall, Snape and Lucius Malfoy."  
  
"So it wasn't just a meeting with the headmaster? They had set it up." She asked frowning and Harry nodded.  
  
"I figure it out soon too and refused to go anywhere with them. After last year I thought they had learned... well, obviously not. But it wasn't totally their fault. Malfoy had wanted to tell me himself but hadn't found the right time and I don't exactly blame him either."  
  
Hermione was looking at him eyebrows raised.  
  
"Even though I'm the head boy, I still wouldn't quite know how to approach a Slytherin if I had something I needed to tell them. And it's just that... Malfoy looked so crushed while standing there and listening me yell," Harry tried to explain.  
  
"But he is still an evil prat, right?" Hermione asked. "Just to clear it up to Ron," she raised her arms for her defence.  
  
"Right.," Harry said smiling. "But a crushed looking one. After that everything just went... I don't know. Snape said that I acted childishly and after the headmaster announced that he expected me go along with all this because I was supposed to act as powerhungrily as Voldemort would..."  
  
"He didn't!" Hermione was looking like she would drop of the couch.  
  
Harry just nodded gloomily and continued, "You were sleeping already when I came back."  
  
Hermione blushed and looked at the floor.  
  
"Or at least that was what I thought," Harry smirked. "And yesterday you were all day going on about something with Ron and I had the talk with McGonagall. Apparently they had wanted me to share rooms with Malfoy. Something about easing his being."  
  
Hermione was just about to ask but Harry beat her to it. "I refused."  
  
Hermione was looking at him curiously again.  
  
"Well he is a prat and a Slytherin and a boy and the pain in the... well," Harry waved his hand. "Not to mention that if this was common knowledge, like it is now, can you imagine in what danger he would be in? Just like you and Ron and everybody else around me."  
  
"Oh Harry," Hermione sighed sadly.  
  
"Not to mention the danger you would be, if Malfoy isn't what he says he is."  
  
She frowned, "I don't think that's possible Harry..." her eyes wandered to him and then jumped behind him on the wall. Her eyes got huge. "Oh no Harry! Look at the clock. We are going to miss charms!"  
  
The next second she was up and running to the door. "I'll go get my bag and don't worry about Ron, Harry. I'm sure he'll come around or I'll make him."  
  
Harry was sure he was hearing her repeat 'oh no, what'll Professor Flitwick say...' on her way out. He smiled and took his bag and walked after her. He was glad that Hermione had understood but he was still worried about Ron.   
  
As it seemed, his worry was not unjustified. In charms Ron chose to sit with Hermione and didn't even look at him. When it was time to start practising, Ron even abandoned Hermione as she had kept on talking to him about the morning and finally they argued. Ron started to ignore her too and spent the rest of the class with Dean.   
  
The rest of the day flew by in a blur. Harry's head begun to hurt just like he had expected to and eventually he started to avoid everyone. When his classes were over, he retreated to Hermione's rooms knowing that he would be uninterrupted there. Hermione had her schedule full and would not be coming there and Ron, who Harry had earlier tried to seek out but had since given up, wouldn't be coming there either. So he had time to rest and just stare at the ceiling. Not that it helped. Finally he picked one of his school books and tried to read.  
  
Harry managed to start his Defence homework but then the headache became too much and he just lied back on the couch and tried to sleep. He missed dinner and when it was time to supper, he just slipped to the kitchens to get something and then sneaked back into his rooms.   
  
He did consider asking a headache potion from Madam Pomfrey but then decided not to. The headache wasn't anything that a good night sleep wouldn't correct and he didn't want to be around anyone right now and answer questions. Not to mention that she was probably expected to tell about his visit to the headmaster and Harry really didn't want that to happen.  
  
The one good thing was that he hadn't even though about the article. His head was hurting so bad that it actually prevented him from concentrating on that blasted paper or on anything else. Harry went to bed early that night when it became obvious that he couldn't do anything or wanted to go anywhere. When his head hit the pillow, he thought he had forgotten something but then the moment passed and soon he fell asleep.  
  
Harry's dreams started restlessly and were filled with images about his other nightmares. That was until his scar started to burn and then he remembered what had bothered him earlier. It was funny to be in a dream state and recollect things about when he was awake but now he undoubtedly knew that he should've done his occlumency tonight. Voldemort was sure to know about the article, but he had been distracted and though his scar had probably given him a warning, it was clouded by the headache.  
  
Suddenly Harry found himself in the dark. Then he slowly made out a dim light coming from the few burning torches on the walls. There was a man kneeling in front of him wearing black robes. A death eater. Then he saw the blurry edges of Voldemort right next to him or in front of him... around him. His visions were always a one way trip, him having no control over anything and it was also this sort of a mix of himself and Voldemort, one more reason not to like them, but at least he had learned to separate his own thoughts and emotions.  
  
"My Lord?" the kneeling man asked and Harry didn't detect any hostile feelings towards him coming from Voldemort. This man had not yet done anything wrong but that puzzled him even more. Why was he here then? Only very strong emotions could launch the visions these days and if it wasn't for anger, then it had to be because of... enjoyment.  
  
Voldemort took a step forward and Harry felt the robes shift around him. "Stand up Lucius. I don't need you groveling on the ground today," Voldemort said with a detached voice and when the man stood up, Harry was once again faced with the older Malfoy.   
  
This time the pointed, aristocratic face was an expressionless mask, merely showing the required amount of respect and humbleness that the Dark Lord demanded. It didn't suit the man and he wasn't exactly good at it either.  
  
"I heard interesting news today about your son, Lucius," Voldemort said slowly in his usual hissing voice. Harry had to shook his head a bit to remember that he wasn't doing the talking. "I only wonder why I had to hear it from somewhere else but you."   
  
The voice was still as calm as ever but now Harry felt the underlines. There was a clear edge of suppressed want to punish Malfoy for his lack of respect, for his disobedience. Voldemort was getting irritated and Malfoy was the only one around to suffer if the Dark Lord got angry. Harry was sure that the blond knew that but nothing showed in his face.  
  
"My Lord," Lucius Malfoy kept his eyes strictly downcast, "Draco saw it best to inform me the last. I only received an owl from him this very morning."  
  
Harry was watching the man with interest. He knew he was lying but couldn't tell if Voldemort was aware of it. Then he realised that that was the reason Malfoy was ordered to stand up. The Dark Lord wanted to know the truth and being a legilimens should prove it easy but it needed the eyecontact.  
  
"Your son, who was supposed to join us quite soon, but that does not matter now," Voldemort continued and Harry still felt the interest behind his words and wondered what was the Dark Lord aiming to. His scar was blissfully painfree for now so there wasn't any hidden anger involved. "Have you already done something about the news Lucius?"  
  
"Nothing that has carried to the public knowledge, my Lord."   
  
The answer came quickly but it did not please Voldemort and Malfoy had to know that. Still he just kept standing there silently and Harry felt the tension strain.  
  
"I see," Voldemort said deliberately slow and then continued in harsher voice, "but that was not what I asked, Lucius."   
  
Malfoy was silent for a while and then said, "I have no son my Lord, and Draco Malfoy already knows of it."  
  
"Crucio!" The punishment came immediately and without any warning.   
  
Harry clutched his scar while he dropped to his knees and screamed. The only good thing about it was that Malfoy was in no means innocent and certainly deserved his punishment.  
  
Harry's screams never echoed around like the others did because in reality he wasn't there. But the testimony of others suffering, his own pain and the sick pleasure he felt coming from Voldemort was an agonising mixture that tore him on so many levels. This time though his voice was the only one he heard, because Malfoy did not scream.  
  
Thankfully the curse was soon lifted and Voldemort's hissing voice penetrated his blurry comprehension. "Your hastiness may have cost me a lot Lucius. I am disappointed in you."   
  
Harry leaned on his hands and painfully looked at his side. Malfoy was lying on the ground on his stomach trying to get up on his knees. He was breathing shallowly like a fish on land while Voldemort walked around him.   
  
"You will correct your mistake," the Dark Lord said coldly, "do not dissapoint me again, Lucius. Draco Malfoy is only means to an end, you should not have let your anger blind you."  
  
Harry felt himself rise. He was loosing the connection with the vision and he was just barely able to see Voldemort walking out of the room, saw himself walking through the doorway and Lucius Malfoy unsteadily getting up from the floor.   
  
"You know I need him dead soon..." someone said but Harry wasn't capable of knowing who anymore.  
  
Suddenly he woke up. The sheet was tangled in his feet and his scar was burning. He touched it lightly but flinched and withdrew his hand. It hurt like hell and he was covered in sweat.  
  
Blindly he reached for his night table. He knew he had some ointment there to rub on his forehead. After he had pushed his glasses off the table, he finally found the tube and ever so gently rubbed on his scar. Then he laid back and closed his eyes.  
  
He tried not to consentrate on the pain. It would go away sooner that way. But letting his thoughts drift wasn't doing any good either because he seemed to dig up memories that brought an equal sort of pain, only different. They weren't about other visions but other moments just like this.  
  
Last year, when it was far too common thing for him to wake up screaming in the middle of the night, Ron was always there. When the vision was finally over and he woke up, Ron was usually sitting on the bed next to him and holding his hand while calling his name.  
  
If the vision was bad, he would rush to the bathroom and when he came back, Ron always had the bed made and ready for him to try and catch up sleep again.  
  
*flashback*  
  
"This is Mione's pain relieving potion, drink it Harry." Ron said it somewhere far away but when Harry felt the cool glass against his lips, he opened them and drank it all. Soon a familiar relief spread into him.  
  
"Thanks Ron," he said and heard his voice was raspy.  
  
"It's been a while since the last time," Ron said sounding worried. Then he chuckled and added more lightly, "but I wonder what'll it take to wake up Seamus and Dean these days as they just kept on sleeping."  
  
"I'm sorry I woke up you and Nev then," Harry said and slowly turned on his side.  
  
"Naah. I put up the silencing charm and he is probably already sleeping like a baby. But Harry," Ron was frowning, "what did happen?"  
  
*end of flashback*  
  
That was what Harry missed the most and though he had been happy to get his own rooms, he had felt like missing on everything else with his friends. Especially now when Ron was moping, he felt like he would never get it back again. Everything was changing.  
  
Harry sighed and opened his eyes. The scar only prickled now, these days the pain never went away completely. He fumbled for his glasses from the floor and then leaned to look at the time. It was four in the morning.  
  
He knew he might not get any sleep tonight and as tomorrow wasn't the longest day in school, he got up and searched some parchment and quill. He needed to write down some things about the vision as he would be going to the headmaster the first thing in the morning.  
  
His handwriting was a little shaky due to the curse he had partially suffered but Harry just concentrated harder. He didn't know why the vision had come tonight as Voldemort wasn't feeling anything extreme and only hoped that it wasn't a sign that lesser emotions would now launch them. Hopefully it was just a coincidence.  
  
While he wrote down few words from here and there, Harry started to fathom the meaning of his vision. About what had actually happened tonight, that Malfoy was disowned and he felt guilty for it.  
  
He had avoided the blond since Sunday but now he was getting an odd feeling that he should try and seek him out. Harry remembered how the other Slytherins had shunned Malfoy at breakfast yesterday and remembered how it had felt when he had experienced that the first time in his second year. How alone he had been and this was much worse. He didn't doubt that the Slytherins would do something more than just turn their back's to prove their point.  
  
Harry didn't get it how the Prophet had found out about the whole Veela-mate thing but if he had to guess he would heavily lean to the direction of Dumbledore. After all, only few people had known about it and they were counted quickly. McGonagall or Snape would hardly do anything if Dumbledore didn't ask and Lucius Malfoy didn't have any reason to reveal this thing to the papers, at least none that he could come up with.  
  
That again brought in his mind the fact that Malfoy was alone now. His father had disowned him and that had to be a hard blow to the Slytherin, after all he seemed to adore his father. All the time Malfoy went around saying that his father was this, and his father was that or that his father would hear about it.   
  
Harry chuckled to the memory of his first year and when he had spent his detention together with the blond in the forest. It felt pretty funny now and actually it had felt pretty funny even then if he just left out the whole unicorn thing.  
  
Then he got more serious again. Malfoy had also defended his father viciously when he was thrown into the jail and how much Malfoy had hated him then. He had been part of the reason why Malfoy had nearly lost his father then and now he was the reason why Malfoy was without any family. Harry knew that feeling and he didn't wish it to no one, not even on his worst enemy. The irony of this all was that if what was said about the Veelas were true, then Malfoy couldn't even hate him for this. Perhaps he really should try and talk to him tomorrow.  
  
Harry returned to his writing and soon frowned again when another thought came to him. Malfoy's father was going to try and use his son for Voldemort. That meant that the very reason he didn't want anyone to find out about him and Malfoy was already the threat he had feared it to be. Malfoy was in danger and all because of him, because of his connection to Voldemort. But would Malfoy believe him if he tried to warn him... Yes, he would definitely need to talk to him tomorrow.  
  
**  
  
Wednesday morning also found Draco seeking Harry. He had anxiously waited the whole Monday for the paper to come out and when Tuesday finally arrived, the only glimpse he got of Harry was at breakfast. That hadn't precisely given his mate the picture he wanted to give about himself.  
  
What were those idiots of a housemates thinking for ignoring him like that and embarrassing him. Harry was supposed to see that Slytherins weren't any evil bigots like Gryffindors but what had his housemates done to prove that... nothing! It still made him angry though he had already once blown up at them. After that he had made it very clear that that sort of behaviour was not allowed.  
  
Not that he expected Slytherins just to obey and few had even had the nerve to think aloud that they wouldn't accept Harry or him. When the first sentence was out, he had lost it. Thos nimconpoofs!  
  
He was a Veela and a Malfoy and if they posed as even the sligtest threat to his mate, he would make sure that something very unfortunate would happen to them, while he would enjoy eliminating the said threat they posed. He couldn't believe that during all these six years his house hadn't yet learned that no one ordered him around. Not to mention that he had family traditions to keep up.  
  
In the end, everyone had seen his side of this and understood. He wasn't that naive to demand that everyone had to like Harry, though that would please him, but at least those who didn't like the situation, would stay out of the way.   
  
He had tried to seek Harry later that evening but his mate was as good as vanished. He had seen the Weasel plenty of times but not the other two of the trio which was some cause for worry. He didn't want Harry to fight with his friends over this. That would make Harry unhappy and he certainly didn't want that.  
  
Draco really, really needed to talk with his mate. Explain that Sunday had not been totally his fault and that he certainly didn't think Harry would accept him for the power only. As a Veela, he didn't mind the reason just as long as he was allowed to give his mate his love and protection but he knew Harry wouldn't do it for that. He also needed to see if Harry had other reason for not agreeing to live with him. Draco was sure everything would be alright just as he would find his mate. It was again that compelling feeling that his mate would make everything alright.  
  
He didn't see Harry at breakfast but his suspicions that the trio were arguing was confirmed when Weasel didn't took any notice of his girlfriend.   
  
Potions had never felt longer than they did that particular morning. Draco made some stupid mistakes and was drifting away which almost cost him the potion he was making. His godfather stared on him several times and finally threatened to take points if he didn't wake up.  
  
When there were only few minutes left, Draco was fidgeting impatiently. Next he would have Transfigurations with the Gryffindors and Harry and as soon as he heard the bell he was off.  
  
He was little out of breath when he arrived in front of the Transfigurations classroom and he was the first there. Draco was feeling restless. He really didn't have any idea how Harry had took all this.  
  
Few Gryffindors arrived and when they spotted him, they immediately started to whisper and when one of the girls had the nerve to point him with a finger, Draco glared. Finally, when most of the students had arrived, McGonagall came slightly early and allowed them in the room.   
  
This time Draco headed straight to sit in Harry's table. If there was one good thing about Weasel being angry, it was that he tended to shut up then. Granger arrived right after the red head but obviously those two still weren't talking. Just when Draco was beginning to doubt whether Harry would be showing up at all, he did.   
  
He knew his mate was there even before turning around to look. The same exited feeling was filling him as it always did when Harry was near and that was usually followed by the scent. It was incredibly vibrating.  
  
Harry sat down next to him without saying a word. Draco had shivers run down on his spine when Harry accidentally brushed against him while he took out his books. The next two hours proved to be the most blissful as of yet in his life but also the most tormenting.  
  
"I need to talk to you after this Malfoy," Harry whispered to him when McGonagall started to write something on the blackboard and immediately Draco's imagination got the better of him. The lingering warmth of Harry's breath seemed to caress his neck and Draco had to use every ounce of his self-discipline not to turn and return the favour by kissing his mate.  
  
"Why?" he whispered back and couldn't help but linger a bit leaning towards Harry and inhaling the closeness.  
  
"You'll see," Harry just said and glimpsed straight at him. Those green eyes halted everything for a while and Draco didn't snap out of it before Harry nudged his arm.  
  
"Are you alright Malfoy?" Harry was furrowing his brows.  
  
Draco rubbed his hand where Harry had just touched him. His skin was stinging and he started to see that sitting here might not have been the best decision he had ever made. He hadn't been this close to Harry since... ever.   
  
Then he realised that Harry was still looking at him but as he really didn't trust his voice at the moment, he just nodded. Long after Harry had turned to read his book, Draco kept on looking at him. He didn't think he could've turned his gaze away no matter how he wanted.  
  
Harry's black, messy hair was just in his reach and Draco could easily imagine himself touching it and letting his fingers slide to the neck. Then he noticed Harry's deep green eyes that brilliantly shoned even behind the glasses and if Draco leaned just a little bit to left he was able to see one eye behind the glasses in its full effect. His mouth dropped open a bit and he didn't dare to breath because that would come out as a whimper.  
  
Harry's skin shone in golden hues in the light that came through the windows. Draco let his eyes wonder along the arc of Harry's nose and then to his high cheek bones and finally he let his eyes drop at Harry's mouth... Harry was biting his lip while reading. Draco was sure the small 'eep' he made was heard by everyone in the room. He hadn't even noticed how very small and suffocating the classroom was.  
  
"...Mr. Malfoy!" Someone said behind his back and the voice was tired. "Would you mind stopping the daydreaming and join the rest of us?" McGonagall announced sighing. She had been standing there for a while.  
  
Draco hastily straightened his back and opened his books. No one seemed to have noticed his momentarily relapse except Harry. His mate was eyeing him from time to time and Draco felt each and every one of those looks burn him.  
  
"Alright! If you are all finished reading, we can continue the practise we started on last week. Only rememeber to finish the bird wings differently this time. After this is over, you can say that you master the animal transfiguration adequately and we can move on to human transfigurations. I hope I don't need to remind you that they will be on your N.E.W.Ts," McGonagall lectured on.  
  
It took a while for Draco to gather his thoughts. Was he supposed to be reading something? Then he looked down on the book and tried to remember what exactly they had done last week. He nearly jumped when Harry again nudged him to his side.  
  
"Here's your twig Malfoy," Harry said very slowly. "Remember to first transfigure it to a living insect and only then to a bird," Harry gave him a small piece of wood and made sure to explain the instructions so that he got them.  
  
Draco smiled. Harry was helping him. He took the twig slowly, letting his fingers entvine with Harry's for a moment. That was when he felt it and his eyes got round.   
  
A fire started to spread inside him. It started from his fingertips and then suddenly burst through him, taking away his capability to breath or do anything at all. Embarrasingly enough the feeling then concentrated on his lower body and Draco hastily withdrew the twig that he had already snapped in two and barely restrained himself from crushing it totally.  
  
He could feel the blush spreading warmly upwards to his face and it was one of those rare moments in his life that he wished he had forgotten to grume his hair that morning. Flashes about some of his dreams passed his mind and they only managed to intensify the burning feeling. He tried to shuffle as close to his desk as he could and really tried to look like he was concentrating on the lesson.   
  
His first try to change the twig into a spider went horribly wrong as it changed but didn't resemble anything like a spider. It was black and hairy but had only one leg and that was pointing straight up. The only good thing about the thing was that it was small and thus McGonagall didn't notice. She would've lectured him in front of the whole class for not managing to do something so simple. They had went through it years ago.  
  
Hastily Draco waved his wand the second time but was slipping in his hurry. Now the result was a spider but it had a bowtie around its legs. Harry snorted next to him but when Draco turned to look, he seemed to be deeply engrossed with his own bug.  
  
The class continued onwards much the same. Draco managed to do the task right when it conserned the wings but, as McGonagall told him while she gave him two rolls of homework, it didn't mean that the rest should be something than less right. His bird had continuously been looking like a small and pudgy chicken.  
  
It did somewhat ease him that the rest of the class had failed just as dismally and in the end, McGonagall said that they would be using the next week on this as well as on rehersalling.   
  
Draco kept on glimpsing at Harry when everyone were gathering their things. When Harry was ready, he turned to him and nodded him to follow. Draco got up and tried to crush the giddy feeling he had.   
  
They walked in the opposite direction than the most of the other students in the class and came to a small door.   
  
"Vortigern," Harry said and the door swung open.  
  
There was a small round staircases going up and down. Harry started to descent them and Draco followed looking curiously around. Soon he realised that these had to be the small stairs that most of the teachers and apparently the head boy and girl got to use.   
  
They passed a small landing which had a door with an emblemed rune meaning five and when the next door little lower said four, Harry headed towards it. Draco found that they somehow were close to Harry's rooms on the fourth floor though they had started on the north side of the castle.  
  
"Harry...". "About Sunday..." they both started to speak at once after an short and awqward silence. Then they both shut up and stared at each others. Draco saw a small smile caress Harry's lips.  
  
"You go first," Draco then offered.  
  
"Thanks Malfoy," Harry said and then he threw his book bag on the couch. "It's about Sunday, I didn't mean to blow up like I did. Sorry. It was just that..."  
  
"I didn't mean it to be like that. You have to believe me Harry."  
  
"Yeah. McGonagall was pretty clear with me the next day about it." Harry scratched his neck and looked down. "She also adviced me to talk with you about... things."  
  
Draco arched a brow intrigued.  
  
"I briefly read this book," Harry waved a familiar white covered book. "It says here that you'd be more at ease if you were at close proximity with me?"  
  
Draco nodded. He wasn't sure but it seemed like Harry was circling something. "That's why it was suggested that you could perhaps share your rooms with me and I will try to answer any questions you might have."  
  
  
  
Harry looked at him for a while contemplatingly. "I noticed your father was at the meeting too. How is he taking this?"  
  
Draco was somewhat surprised that that was what Harry particularly wanted to know but then he shrugged. At least Harry was talking to him. "My father doesn't object. He is a half-veela himself and he knows that I was very fortunate to have you and that I didn't have any saying who my mate was going to be."  
  
Harry was frowning and kept on looking at him oddly. "You mean he isn't mad or going to disown you or something?"  
  
"No," Draco answered slowly. True he had prepaired himself that his father might have to do something like that because of the Dark Lord but nothing had come as of yet.  
  
Harry continued to frown but now he also paced back and forth in front of the window. Then he finally seemed to make a decision. "Malfoy," he started to say slowly. "I don't know if you know... or even if I knew most of the reasons why I refused to live with you. It's just that everyone around me are in more danger than they would be without me and I didn't want you to be too."  
  
Harry looked up at Draco as if waiting some comment about Gryffindors or delusions or something but none came. Draco just sat there and waited so he sighed relieved and continued. "I do understand now that this is hard for you too. I don't suppose your house is what might exactly be called understanding either? And then there's your family... I have seen your father with Voldemort... and I knew that you would propably do the same one day."  
  
"Harry," Draco interrupted him as sternly as he dared. He had begun to fathom that he might actually like where this was going now and didn't want to risk it, but this was something he had to say. "Believe me, I would never join the Dark Lord. Not anymore. Yes, I did consider it before, since I was a child but it was just because my father did it and I knew he would be proud of me. Now I just really want to kill everyone who are a threat to you."  
  
Harry looked at him a little dubiously but then he decided not to say anything about that. Instead he asked, "but your father doesn't have that same look on this mate sitation as you do. He still doesn't like me more than he previously did and... do you think he could harm you?"  
  
Draco looked at him unbelievingly. "I'm his heir. The only one. If he didn't choose me otherwise then he would side with me because of that." Draco laughed a little.  
  
"I see," Harry said and thought it all for while. He couldn't say that he actually knew Lucius Malfoy but he did know what the man was capable of and that he was on his who-to-trust-list right next to people whose name ended in -oldemort. To Draco it clearly wasnt't like that and it seemed quite futile to try and convince Draco otherwise.  
  
"Anyway, I didn't want you close to me. Of course there are other reasons like our past history and there were only few reasons why I should agree to this. The article changed that." Harry looked intensly at Draco again and the blond seemed to realise where he was going.   
  
"It would be hyppocrite for me to say that now I don't want to... worry about you anymore as I used that as a reason before. Added to that it was pointed out to me that I am the head boy and thus I have responsibilities over all the students, you included." Harry didn't quite know how he should be. He was more than half apologizing to Malfoy already. He knew he owed him one for his behaviour but it wasn't like Malfoy had ever apologized... Then he stopped to think that actually Malfoy had. During the last few days Malfoy had actually done that in many ways and times.  
  
Then Harry had a horrible mental image of himself in his fourties and he was yelling at a little blond child just because his last name was Malfoy and he looked too much like Snape for his own comfort. It was a chilling image. One which he didnt't ever want to come true.   
  
So, much more sure of himself he said, "I just wanted to say that though there are many things between us, I understand why you need this and that I should agree and I do. You're wellcome here. I will go and tell McGonagall about it today and then Snape will probably inform you."  
  
Harry stood up nervously and then hesitated before saying, "just to clear things, we are just living together. We're not even room mates and I still think..." he stopped there because he simply couldn't go on.   
  
Harry looked at Malfoy and stopped to star. Malfoy was smiling at him and it was a true, happy smile that lighted his whole face. Harry had never seen that.  
  
**  
  
A/N. I'm sorry I didn't make it in time and I'm also sorry for the grammar. Thanks for all the reviews. They still make me happy and put this silly smile on my face.   
  
It's the beginnig of the Christmas holidays for me. I'll try to get out one more chapter this year and I'm also writing another story that I hope to get out too but I can't say anything sure when. So, please leave your mail add. or a hint that you want me notify you when the update is on. 


	12. Quarrelmongers

Disclaimer: Surely everyone knows that these characters are not mine. They are a creation of JKR's wonderful imagination and I only toy with them for a while. I also would like to mention that Frizzy writes quite enjoyable fan fiction describing Draco as a Veela. (Rowling: Harry Potter books, Frizzy: Magnetic Attraction)  
  
Summary: DM/HP During the summer, before their last year in school starts, Draco Malfoy's Veela heritage is awoken. He's searching his mate and that leads him to the most unsuspected target. A hard and difficult one too.   
  
************ The veela allurement ************  
  
Ch.12 Quarrelmongers  
  
After his defence lessons from which he had been late for fifteen minutes by the way and thus had that new teacher glare at him, Harry was on his way to see McGonagall. His feet felt like led. It wasn't so much the fact that he wondered if he was putting his head through a gallows loop when agreeing to live with Malfoy, he was far too confused about that whole thing to be sure of anything. This feeling came more from his feelings of guilt. He had not told anyone about the vision he had had last night and somehow he was sure that she would take one look at him and somehow she would know.  
  
It wasn't as if he hadn't tried to tell. He really had gone to see the headmaster the first thing in the morning, even though he really didn't like to see the old man now. Still, he knew how important his visions could be, even if they seemingly didn't make any sense to him or even if they did.  
  
When he had approached the corridor where the gargoyle was guarding the entrance to Dumbledore's office, he heard a lot of voices. To his horror he realised nearly too late that the voices belong to reporters on their way out and if he wasn't mistaken, he was the main topic of their conversation.  
  
'Damn that article and who ever leaked it out,' he had cursed while he ran back and dashed to the nearest open classroom.  
  
He stayed behind the door, listening the voices come closer and then slowly dying away. He hadn't liked what they had said and on the top of everything, Dumbledore was apparently away. Slowly he redirected his steps to the kitchen. Dobby wouldn't have read any papers or would ask any unnecessary question, except what he would like to have on his bread.  
  
McGonagall didn't eat him alive, nor did she notice anything amiss. Perhaps because she seemed satisfied that the veela questions was now solved for a while. His rooms would be modified during the weekend and Malfoy would move in and as Harry had suspected, McGonagall reserved to herself the delight to inform Snape about this new turn of things.  
  
Slowly Harry walked to the library, hoping to catch Hermione but to his surprise, she wasn't there. People were staring and whispering everywhere and he didn't like it one bit and so he decided to retreat to his rooms to enjoy the short time they were his and only his.  
  
But when he came into his rooms, Hermione was sitting there, reading one of his defence books. She had read it at least twice before already.  
  
"You know Hermione, I think you gave me that book only so that you could read it by yourself," Harry joked, startling his friend.  
  
Hermione scowled at him playfully and then said, "I heard that you agreed to live with Malfoy?"  
  
"How did you find out?" Harry asked, hoping that it wasn't on every notice board already.  
  
"McGonagall told me. She said that as you were going to be my 'neighbours', I should know," Hermione sniffed. "I nearly told her that she should've reconsidered her 'need to inform others' principles a while ago."  
  
Harry laughed. Of course Hermione had done no such thing but it was a nice image.  
  
"Why did you do it, Harry? Ron is… not that you should let us affect your decision if you feel they're right, but he IS going to go berserk."  
  
"I know," Harry said and slumped to sit next to her. "I just… I'm not sure. I have a feeling that there are more important things to deal with this year and if I hadn't said yes, eventually Malfoy would've been pushed on me. I am the head boy. I have responsibilities," Harry said and made a face but that reason seemed to satisfy Hermione.   
  
"I better go get my things for Hagrid's classes. I just hope that Ron won't be mad enough to do something there," Harry said and headed to his bedroom to gather his things. Hermione followed her.  
  
"I surely hope not and you should take points from him if he does. It's incredibly dangerous to start behaving so immaturely around those beasts that you're treating. And I think you were right. With Malfoy I mean. We are far too old to bigger like first years and though he is an annoying, egoistic, spoiled brat, there is a slight possibility that he will grow up. If he don't, my rooms are close by and surely no one can expect you to continue living with him if you're killing each others." Hermione was walking around his bedroom and looking at things. It was the first time she was there and she walked cautiously around as if expecting something horrible to jump at her in any moment.  
  
"Herm, I don't have traps here or anything and I think I'm much more tidier than you are now giving me credit for."  
  
She laughed nervously, "It's not that. Sorry, I didn't want you to think I was judging you, Harry." Then she wandered to his desk and put few books in a pile, and then she made his bed with a wave of her wand. Then she kneeled to pick up a piece of parchment on the floor.  
  
"Honestly Hermione, I'll be just waiting outside until you have cleaned everything you want to," Harry chuckled and left while shaking his head.  
  
Just when he sat down on the couch with his school bag and started to stuff new books into it, Hermione came out from the room frowning. She was reading something.  
  
"What's this Harry? I hope it's not what I think it is," she said and showed the paper to him.  
  
Harry took one look at the paper and then warily looked at Hermione. He couldn't believe that he had just left that paper lying around. There was ink splattered on it and few words here and there, written in a shaky handwriting. It was the paper he had written his vision on.  
  
"I - didn't realise I had left it there. I wrote it last night and don't get angry with me. It was nothing and you know I'm not supposed to tell even you about them until Dumbledore knows," Harry said on his defence.  
  
"Did Voldemort curse anyone?" she asked and her tone of voice clearly said that Harry better co-operate and spill the truth.  
  
Harry squirmed not knowing how to lie but not wanting to say the truth either.  
  
"He did, didn't he? And what's this about Malfoy?" Hermione pointed the paper and was getting agitated.  
  
Harry rubbed his face before he leaned back and focused on her. "I had a vision all right. Lucius Malfoy was the only one there and Voldemort wanted something to be done. Just leave it, please."  
  
"Have you noticed that your room mate happens to have Malfoy as his last name too?" Hermione said a little louder. "And yes, we know that Lucius Malfoy is a death eater and frankly I don't believe that him being there and you having this vision now was a coincidence, Harry. Why haven't you told me already?"  
  
Harry heard the accusation in her voice. He had always told her and Ron the next day and he didn't know what was wrong with him. He only had this strange feeling that something was coming. Something bad was going to happen.  
  
A look of sudden understanding flashed across Hermione's face. "You haven't told anyone yet, haven't you Harry? Not even Dumbledore." She just stood as if stunned for a moment but then she snapped out of it. "You have to tell someone Harry!"  
  
"I tried, I really tried but Dumbledore wasn't there. Then I realised that there was nothing that important to tell."  
  
"Noth – NOTHING," she shrieked and then looked around quickly but there was no one to hear them. "There is something to tell, Harry." She then said much more silently. "And you know it!"  
  
"I shouldn't have seen it in the first place!" Harry blurted out. It was something that had been bothering him since the night. "There was no reason for it to come. Voldemort wasn't angry enough."  
  
"Did you want it to come? Did you make it happen?"  
  
"Of course not. I had a headache yesterday and I just wanted to sleep."  
  
"Did you take anything for the curse? Your writing is all shaky and you know that it…" abruptly she halted and turned to look at the door.   
  
Harry followed her look in time to see something red and then the door was slammed shut.  
  
"Was it Ron?" he asked but already knew the answer.  
  
"Yes…" Hermione looked thoughtful for a while and then turned to him. "I need to go after him but this is far from over Harry. You have to stop hiding things from us. We can trust on each other's. Remember that. Now I need to go after my boyfriend and find out what is really bothering him. It isn't this whole Veela business, but it is something."  
  
After she was gone, Harry looked at the paper in his hands for a long time.  
  
**  
  
"Ron!" Hermione yelled when she finally managed to catch up with him. He was determinately walking away and she grabbed his arm from behind to stop him. "What is wrong with you? That's Harry, your friend, our best friend. Why are you doing this to him? Don't you know that he doesn't need this right now? No one does."  
  
"I can bloody well do what I please Hermione. It's Harry who should wake up." Ron said through gritted teeth and then glared at her, "Room mates?!"  
  
"Stop – just stop, Ron. What is it? What's really bothering you? I know you and it's not just something Harry has done," she said while she rested her hands on Ron's shoulders.   
  
Ron glared at her and then suddenly all the tension fled his face and he seemed to collapse. "He is keeping things from us, Mione. It has already started and I can't stand it."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Hermione asked.  
  
"That bloody git is taking Harry away," Ron said silently. "The ferret is a Veela and a little of his charm here and there and our Harry is gone. The ferret is all Harry needs to be happy after a while."  
  
"You can't be serious, Ron!" Hermione exclaimed.  
  
Ron turned furiously at her again. "I damn well am. I knew the git would try something and after all the years, he has finally succeeded. The best payback ever. Harry kneeling at his feet and refusing us, we without Harry. He has his mate and we are somewhere far away."   
  
Ron was absolutely seething now that he had begun to explain, "haven't you wondered why Harry hasn't said anything about how he wants Malfoy or why Harry suddenly doesn't tell us things? Two words," Ron waved his two of his fingers at her. "Veela charms. The bastard is using them on Harry just like he did on me. Malfoy is a Slytherin through and through and goes where it is the easiest as the pathetic ferret that he is."  
  
"That's not true, Ron," Hermione said but sounded a little insecure. "Harry didn't have a chance to tell us about the meeting with the headmaster and it was because of us. We were not exactly talking if you remember? And Harry didn't tell us about his decision to allow Malfoy live near him because he had other things in his mind. I'm sure you heard about that? And he didn't tell us about it because, as you know, Dumbledore must know first."  
  
Ron frowned and looked like he was thinking back. Then he calmed down immediately and looked a little worried. "No, actually I didn't catch that. I just heard him say that something was nothing and that he didn't have to tell to anyone… I thought he wasn't having them anymore or at least not often. How bad was it?"  
  
"His hand was still shaking when he wrote things down and he saw Lucius Malfoy in there and he didn't know why he saw anything in the first place. Now do you realise why none of us needs this? I am really worried, Ron."  
  
Ron stared at her for a while and then a light smile appeared. He was just about to say something when another voice interrupted him.  
  
"Isn't this a sweet little reunion? Got your boyfriend back in line, mudblood?" Draco´s snarling voice came from the shadows and soon the blond stepped to the light too.  
  
"That's five points off for insulting the head girl, if you want more, just ask, Malfoy," Hermione said coldly. She now realised that she should have dragged Ron elsewhere and why was that just when she got things in order, Malfoy came with his impeccable timing for stir up more trouble.  
  
"Oh the blatant bias that just fills the air. Why don't you take points from your boyfriend too? After all, he still has the irritating habit of calling me a rodent."  
  
"Aren't you? Wow. The similarity is just so obvious to me," Ron couldn't help but to retort.  
  
"Look Weasel, you should just charm your mouth away. Nothing of any value ever comes out of it." Draco looked at Ron superiorly along his nose, "nothing in you is of any value."  
  
Ron got in a lovely shade of beetroot, "good for you to open your mouth, death eater scum. Luckily we know that and more importantly, Harry knows. He hates you, you know? You will never be anything else to him no matter what you do and I intend to do everything I can to keep it that way."  
  
Draco actually snarled while his face darkened and he drew his wand. "Please, say something once more, you pathetic beggar."  
  
"No, Ron. Don't!" Hermione was trying to keep Ron back but was failing miserably.  
  
"Mione let go of me!" Ron snapped at her.  
  
"Cardiossus!" The spell was yelled right after Ron had opened his mouth and while he was still yanking Hermione off. It hit Ron straight on his chest and he yelled in pain and clutched his wand tightly while he sunk on his knees. There was huge scorch mark on his chest and tiny wakes of smoke drifted upwards.  
  
"Lower your wand, Malfoy," Hermione said steadfastly while she pointed her own wand at him. "You both stop this now or the next thing going will be your prefect badge."  
  
"Animonus feriola," Ron lunged towards Malfoy and fired his spell at him.  
  
"NO HUMAN TRANSFIGURATION, RON! That could go seriously wrong. EXPELLIARMUS!" Hermione's disarming spell missed and hit the wall right next to Ron's spell, leaving two blackened areas on it.  
  
Ron and Malfoy were now rolling from wall to wall and delivering insults as well as punches whenever they could. Days of frustration just pouring out of them both.  
  
"I wish all you pitiful excuses of wizards would be dead! That's all of your family…"  
  
"Inbred donkey! You will never be anything but pond scum."  
  
"THAT'S ENOUGHT!! BOTH OF YOU!" Very familiar voice yelled near by. Harry was standing with Ginny behind Hermione. He had obviously heard some of the conversation but hadn't even bothered to take his wand out.  
  
Ginny was looking at her brother with mixed emotions and finally settled to uncaring.  
  
"Whatever this was for, I'm sure it didn't require fighting and wasn't solved with it. You should know better, Ron," Harry silently said, leaving Draco without any attention.  
  
"ME!" Ron yelped. "He started it." He pointed at the somewhat dishevelled looking blond next to him.  
  
"As if I would need to defend myself against your accusations, Weasley," Draco said while straightening his robes.  
  
"Don't you think at all, Ron? Mum would have a fit if she would know that you are spending your time fighting in your N.E.W.T year," Ginny reproached him too.  
  
"Why are you all telling me this? Didn't you hear when I said that Malfoy started it?" Ron was desperately trying to make them see the facts. "Mione, you were here, say something to them."  
  
Hermione on the other hand was shaking of restrained fury. "That's fifty points off from both of you," she spat out. "Because of using a dangerous spells and hurting other student severely, starting a fight and throwing insults left and right and DUELING AND…" she swallowed and cleared her throat. "If I hear any insults, plain or hidden ones, ever coming from either of you, that'll automatically be ten points off."   
  
Ron stood there gaping for a moment, then he realised that he was standing next to Malfoy and jumped away. Then he finally put his wand away and looked around a little lost. After that he just seemed not to think at all and just glared everyone around and stomped off to cool a bit.  
  
Ginny hadn't moved her eyes from Malfoy and glared at him disgusted not that her brother was gone. Then she walked to Hermione, "I was looking for you. We need to talk."  
  
Few Ravenclaw second years strolled into the hall and Hermione looked questioningly at Harry who just nodded briefly that it was all right for her to leave. That left only Harry and Draco standing there and Harry turned to walk away too. Draco rushed after him.  
  
"Thank you for siding with me, Harry," Draco said happily when the Ravenclaws were out of the hearing range.  
  
Harry stopped still and turned to him. Draco was surprised to see the anger on his mate's face.  
  
"I didn't side with you, Malfoy, nor do I ever plan to do that in the future. I care about Ron and now I know why he was miffed with me earlier. Tomorrow, when he has cooled off a bit, I will apologize to him for something I actually did just a moment ago, because that is what he wants. An apology. But I couldn't ask it for something I didn't even do and that wouldn't have been enough for him. I agree that Ron was way off back there but so were you. I only reproached him because I care about him. Not you. Don't ever think that. We are neighbours because of fate, nothing more, nothing less. You just showed me that nothing will ever change you and I can't dislike you for that but I can do it for all the things you have done and apparently will do. I don't trust you the tiniest bit but I have to tolerate you. Don't get any illusions of friendship between us, all right? And stop bullying my friends." And without waiting an answer, Harry turned and strode away, leaving Draco looking like someone had blown the air out of him.  
  
Slowly Draco walked around and eventually he realised that he was back in his rooms. Pacing back and forth in front of his desk and thinking what he had done wrong? Why Harry was suddenly mad at him, had Harry just played with him? Had he believed in illusions once more? Harry had no right, no basis to treat him like this. He had been mostly truthful and had tried to fulfil his mate's every wish, he had come to the halfway and Harry had done nothing.   
  
Suddenly burning hot anger flushed him but as fast it came, it went away. His Veela side was screaming at him not to hurt his mate, not to anger his mate, not to be angry with his mate. On the other hand he was still seething and he hadn't done anything to deserve what he got from Harry.  
  
After some careful thinking Draco then came to the conclusion that it was all Weasel's fault and that mudblood head-girl. They had planned this whole scene to make Harry angry with him. He cursed them to yesterday in his mind, until he just used their names as curses repeating them again and again and his anger at them grew. Those two had deliberately started the whole thing. Then a thought came to him, reminding him that Harry wouldn't like if he called his friends names but what did he care what Harry thought of?   
  
After that he got the flashback of his life and a zap to his spine. He shouldn't be mad at his mate. He was supposed to love and care for his mate, not try to hate him.  
  
'What possessed you to charge at Weasley in the first place?' a small voice was nagging at him behind his head, but he wasn't a Hufflepuff that would just take insults in a stride. No matter if he had heard the insults while overhearing things.  
  
'Well, you aren't a Ravenclaw either for then you would have stayed away from the boy too,' the voice continued and Draco had to agree that it was right. Ravenclaws stayed in the refuge of their books while he didn't hide his head.  
  
'Not a that much of a Slytherin either for there was no cunningness in putting yourself in the open like that and not even covering your back. Nor was it any use to you,' the voice was still piping and Draco nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard the last assessment. He was an epitome of Slytherin and whatever insane thoughts some little voice might have about that were just that, insane.  
  
'…but Gryffindor… ah yes, the foolish bravery and recklessness. Now there's your place.'  
  
Draco had stopped to stand stock-still. Where had that last thought come from? Surely there was nothing truthful in it. He shook his head to dispel it.  
  
On the other side of the castle, Harry was just returning from his lessons with Hagrid. He was in a lousy mood, even more than before. Ron had been absent during the classes and Harry had worried the whole two hours for him. Then Hagrid had asked him to remain behind and have some tea.  
  
Ron had apparently dropped by at Hagrid's earlier, asking an advice. Hagrid, in his own way, asked Harry if he was sure what he was doing as to him, Ron had looked rather sad. It just didn't do to do that sort of thing to friends.  
  
Harry had asked if Hagrid knew about Malfoy and the half-giant had half laughed and said that the whole world knew about it. But then Hagrid had offered him a piece of advice and that was not to let something like that come between him and his friends. Harry had already known that. And after that he had left but not before he promised Hagrid that he would sort things out with Ron. Tomorrow.  
  
**  
  
The next morning, Hedwig woke him up by a very persistent knocking of the window. Groggily Harry got up and opened the window to his glaring owl.  
  
"Sorry, Hedwig," *yawn* "I can't keep it open all night and where have you been by the way. I've been worrie…" Harry halted when he got a good look of what she was carrying to him.  
  
A red envelope and the handwriting looked familiar.  
  
Hedwig was shaking her leg in front of him impatiently but before Harry took the letter, he closed the window and his bedroom door. He just hoped that Sirius hadn't sent anything too vocal because no one was supposed to know about his godfather or that they were sending letters and what was Remus thinking about letting Sirius write howlers?  
  
Carefully Harry released Hedwig from her burden and immediately the envelope started to shake a bit. Knowing that it would explode soon and then the sound would be even louder, Harry sighed and opened it.  
  
"HARRY! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU. WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN THINKING? Not one single letter during the whole summer. Moony and ME have been worried sick and just guess how many times we were going to just dump this thing here and come to check on you? THREE!" Sirius voice bellowed.  
  
"And what is this? You say you had hardly ANY visions - ANY? Exactly how many is that? How was your summer? AND WHAT IS THIS VEELA THING I AM READING FROM EVERY BLOODY NEWSPAPER AROUND? MALFOY?! It's only couple of weeks into term and there you already are. In trouble. Me and Moony are coming straight there and you better behave!"  
  
Someone mumbled something in the background.  
  
"I DON'T YELL AT HIM, MOONY!"  
  
There was more muttering.  
  
"FINE! We are not coming the beeline way as we have to visit few places on the way but be sure that I will come there soon and you have some explaining to do! Last year will NOT happen again if it's up to me," Sirius said determinately. Then Remus interrupted him once more.  
  
"Oh, yeah. Moony says hi to Ron and Hermione and says he's proud that you made the head boy as am I and - he says he will keep me in order so you don't have to - worry. And how can you say that by the way? I am not doing anything reckless. Totally bored here…" Sirius had turned to speak to Remus while the letter was still recording.  
  
"Bye Harry, see you soon!" Remus voice laughed at the end and then the letter shredded itself.  
  
Harry had to smile when it was all over. That was the most unusual howler he had ever gotten but what else could he expect from Sirius anyway.  
  
Harry checked his clock that said, 'too late for breakfast' and sighed. It was Dobby again or perhaps they had something in the Gryffindor common room. Deciding to go there, he dressed up and gave Hedwig a handful of owl treats. She stayed happily munching them when he left.  
  
The common room was deserted as nearly everyone had classes. Only few sixth or seventh years didn't. Even Ron was having astronomy, something about morning stars and fading moon and Hermione was listening to Mr. Binns.  
  
But Harry noticed what he came there for, a basket full of cookies right under the notice board. He took some checking them over, quite sure that they were harmless but old habits died hard though Fred and George had been away for nearly two years.  
  
Harry checked the board while he was there. Ginny was selling few of he old spell books which wasn't that surprising as she had passed her owl's with flying colours. Ron had not yet come up with a Quidditch practise timetable though there was a small scribbled note about the already had try-outs.  
  
"Why can't those elves bring something healthy in here for a change. Apples or something," someone sighed behind him and Harry turned around, half eaten cookie in his hand.  
  
McGonagall came to stand next to him and seemed to 'tut' at the old notes on the board and snapped the try-outs paper off. Then she put on a new announcement and Harry peeked to read it.  
  
It was for sixth and seventh years only. They were going to have a field trip to the Ministry of Magic next month and everyone was supposed to come.  
  
Harry looked at McGonagall and frowned, "Why are we going there?"  
  
"The minister made this request to the headmaster who then decided that it might be fun. You'll get to spend half of the day in Hogsmeade. Not everyone has visited the ministry, Mr. Potter," McGonagall said and looked at him meaningfully. Then she continued, "it's also easier for Professor Greystone as he can leave the promised introduction to the aurors themselves. Ministry is also arranging their apparition courses few times this autumn and any students who wish to sign up, can."  
  
"Apparition courses?" Harry asked interested.  
  
"Well of course. We don't teach that art here and as it is required to get a license for that, the ministry handles the teaching too. How else do you expect that people know how to do it?"  
  
Harry just kept on looking at the paper. He hadn't actually though about that.  
  
**  
  
A/N. The most keen eyed of you have noticed that I am a little late with this update. And no, I don't find it funny and I really owe you all a huge apology. I'm really, truly, so sorry.   
  
This isn't everything I have written and I hope to make the next update soon. I love your reviews :) thank you. 


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